On 14 November, a delegation from the European Air Transport Command (EATC), led by Major-General Franck Mollard, attended the VIP Day of Exercise TARANIS 2025 at Air Base 123 Orléans-Bricy. The visit underscored the strong relations between EATC and the French Air and Space Force in preparing air mobility forces for modern operational challenges.
TARANIS 2025—conducted by the Brigade aérienne d’assaut et de projection (BAAP)—is a large-scale tactical airlift exercise designed to train crews in high-intensity, degraded and contested environments. Held from 10 to 27 November, it brings together French, joint and international actors to enhance interoperability and tactical proficiency.
The VIP Day offered a focused insight into the exercise’s main capabilities and objectives. Highlights included:
- The inauguration of a new tactical runway at BA123, enhancing the base’s ability to support advanced assault and airlift operations.
- A ground exhibition displaying multidomain capacities such as MEDEVAC systems, drone assets and large-scale networked simulation tools.
- A dynamic flying demonstration featuring high-level tactical manoeuvres, including air-to-air refuelling and simultaneous landings.
A strong emphasis was placed on the A400M and its wide spectrum of operational use cases. As the backbone of the fleet under EATC command—with nearly 100 aircraft pooled among participating nations—the A400M is central to EATC’s mission. Its versatility in tactical airlift, strategic transport, airdrop operations and air-to-air refuelling was illustrated throughout the demonstrations, reaffirming its pivotal role in enabling the mobility needs of member nations.
These presentations provided the delegation with a clear view of how France is adapting its tactical airlift capabilities to the demands of high-intensity operations. They also highlighted the role of advanced platforms, realistic training environments and emerging technologies in improving resilience and decision-making in complex scenarios.
General Mollard and the EATC delegation engaged in discussions with French commanders, gaining further insights into the evolving challenges of tactical airlift in contested environments. The visit reinforced the strong operational relations between EATC and the French Air and Space Force and confirmed their shared commitment to readiness, interoperability and excellence.