On 23 February 2026, representatives of the German Bundestag and the French Assemblée Nationale visited the European Air Transport Command (EATC) at Eindhoven Air Base. The visit provided a comprehensive overview of EATC’s role in coordinating and optimising multinational military air mobility, with particular emphasis on Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR).
The delegation included Ms Sabine Thillaye, Member of the French National Assembly and Vice-Chair of the Defence and Armed Forces Committee, and Mr Thomas Röwekamp, Member of the German Bundestag and Chair of the Defence Committee, accompanied by parliamentary staff and defence representatives. They were welcomed by Major-General Franck Mollard, Commander EATC, for an official welcome and office call, followed by a detailed briefing.
During the briefing, EATC presented its unique multinational business model, enabling the efficient employment of air transport, air-to-air refuelling, and aeromedical evacuation capabilities contributed by its member nations. Particular attention was given to AAR as a key enabler of air operations. The delegation also learned about EATC’s role in harmonising and standardising procedures across nations—often referred to as its “soft power.” This includes advancing common approaches in ground operations, cross-maintenance, and operational procedures, strengthening interoperability within and beyond EATC member nations.
The delegation also visited the Mission Control Centre, where they gained insight into the planning, tasking, and monitoring of multinational air mobility missions.
A highlight of the visit was participation in a live AAR demonstration flight aboard a Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) A330 MRTT aircraft. During the flight, the tanker successfully refuelled German Tornado aircraft from the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 (Büchel Air Base), allowing the delegation to observe first-hand the precision, coordination, and multinational cooperation required for such missions.
The visit also attracted media interest from German and Dutch defence outlets. Overall, the programme provided valuable insight into the operational impact of multinational air mobility and highlighted EATC’s central role in enabling interoperable, efficient, and ready European air transport and air-to-air refuelling capabilities.