From 29 September to 2 October 2025, the European Air Transport Command (EATC) conducted its annual Command Seminar, hosted this year by France at the prestigious Cercle Interarmées in Bordeaux.
This rare gathering brought together the Command Group, Senior National Representatives, Division Heads, and Branch Chiefs. Under the leadership of Major-General Franck Mollard, EATC Commander, the participants engaged in strategic discussions focused on three key topics:
- How to operate EATC during a major crisis?
- How to envision EATC ten years from now?
- How to tackle prevailing classification and IT challenges?
The seminar offered a unique opportunity to step away from daily routines and concentrate exclusively on forward-looking reflections. These exchanges laid important groundwork for preparing EATC for the future, against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving security environment. While the past decades were marked by intra-state conflicts and operations in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, today’s world faces the return of inter-state warfare, exemplified by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, the conflict in Gaza, and growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
As part of the programme, the delegation was received for a business lunch at the Hôtel du Quartier Général de Bordeaux by Lieutenant-General Stéphane Groen, Commander of the Zone de Défense et de Sécurité Sud-Ouest and territorial commander of the French Air and Space Force.
The seminar also included a rich cultural programme designed to strengthen cohesion and foster team spirit among the appointed leaders of the EATC nations. Participants explored Bordeaux’s historic city centre, visiting landmarks such as the Place de la Bourse, the Opéra National, and the Cathédrale Saint-André, as well as the renowned Cité du Vin.
A special note of gratitude is directed to Lufttransportgeschwader 62 of the German Air Force, whose A400M aircraft ensured the smooth and efficient transfer of the delegation between Eindhoven and Bordeaux.