On 22 August 2025, a high-level delegation from the European Air Transport Command (EATC), led by its Commander, Major General Franck Mollard, paid an official visit to NATO’s Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The AIRCOM delegation was headed by Deputy Commander Air Marshal Johnny Stringer.
The visit took place in the context of an evolving security environment, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and reflected the shared determination of both organisations to explore future pathways for cooperation. Discussions focused on building the foundations of a stronger partnership, with the aim of shaping coherence in multinational air mobility and aligning with NATO’s air power priorities.
The programme started with a warm welcome at the AIRCOM headquarters, followed by an official photo opportunity and the signing of the visitor’s book. Major General Mollard then held an office call with Air Marshal Stringer before both delegations engaged in an extensive series of working sessions.
During these sessions, Air Marshal Stringer presented AIRCOM’s strategic priorities and provided perspectives on current challenges and opportunities for NATO air operations. Major General Mollard, in turn, introduced EATC’s unique business model, underlining its multinational approach to air transport, air-to-air refuelling and aeromedical evacuation.
The agenda also included a presentation from the Airlift Coordination Centre (ALCC) on integration opportunities with EATC, as well as an in-depth exchange on Agile Combat Employment (ACE) with considerations for both strategic and tactical air transport. The working lunch offered an additional platform to address interoperability requirements for the future.
A central moment of the visit was the dedicated session on the vision of coherence between EATC and AIRCOM, where both Commanders expressed their ambition to further explore complementarity and potential avenues of cooperation. The dialogue emphasised the importance of aligning priorities, fostering synergies, and innovating to best serve nations and NATO operations in the years ahead, notably through NATO exercises such as Steadfast Duel and Ramstein Flag.
The visit concluded with final discussions, reinforcing the intent to further deepen the dialogue between both organisations and to continue exploring concrete opportunities for cooperation.
EATC extends its appreciation to the French Transport Squadron 41 Verdun, whose TBM 700 aircraft ensured a smooth and efficient transfer of the delegation from Eindhoven to Ramstein.