On 21 May 2021, Major General Andreas Schick, Commander EATC, Mr Jiří Šedivý, Chief Executive EDA*, and Mr Matteo Bisceglia, Director OCCAR-EA** hold their third trilateral meeting via VTC. After a pandemic-induced-break in 2020, the principals met to benchmark the progress made in the past two years of the common “A400M roadmap”. This roadmap aims to facilitate the joint optimisation and development of the A400M capability. It is reviewed on a yearly basis and translates the letter of intent signed by the three entities into a dynamic coordination process.
Major General Schick, Mr Šedivý and Mr Bisceglia have complimented the achieved output to optimise the A400M capability. They re-confirmed their willingness to reinforce the trilateral cooperation, to refine synergies and to avoid duplication of efforts.
Thanks to the continuous commitment and joint collaborative efforts of the experts, the three organisations will contribute to make air mobility more effective and efficient and to enhance interoperability in Europe.
The Commander EATC took the opportunity to present EATC’s initiative to foster interoperability among EATC A400M user nations via a “lighthouse” project. The overall aim however is to finally foster interoperability activities across all different types of assets under EATC authority.
The centrepiece of the project is the participation with a commonly (to the most extent possible) operated multinational A400M contingent in a highly valuable and visible, large international air mobility exercise in 2023.
Currently, EATC commands and controls 64 A400M assets from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Spain. In 2025 EATC plans have 102 assets under its authority.
Get more information on the EATC, EDA & OCCAR-EA roadmap!
Seven activities are included in the 2021 roadmap. They range from training to airworthiness. EATC leads two activities:
1. Enable training centre cooperation and collective training.
2. Create conditions required to increase interoperability in cross-servicing and cross-maintenance, including employment of technicians in a multinational environment.
After two years of leading the A400M roadmap, EATC gives the leadership to EDA for the year 2022.
* European Defence Agency
** Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation – Executive Administration