Berlin, 18-19 November 2025 – Major-General Franck Mollard, Commander of the European Air Transport Command (EATC), and Dr Alexandre Verlaine, Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, represented EATC at the 24th Berlin Security Conference (BSC), one of Europe’s most prominent platforms dedicated to security and defence policy.
Held under the theme “Europe and NATO: Reliable Resilience – Credible Deterrence”, this year’s conference gathered senior political leaders, military commanders, representatives of European and transatlantic institutions, and key actors from industry and civil society. The presence of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, representing the partner nation of the 2025 edition, set a high-level and highly symbolic opening to the event.
Strengthening European Defence Through Dialogue
Over two days, the conference addressed the challenges shaping Europe’s security environment, with a strong focus on resilience, interoperability, and readiness. Interventions by Boris Pistorius, German Federal Minister of Defence, and Dr Pål Jonson, Swedish Minister of Defence, underscored the necessity for coordinated and credible defence efforts at European and NATO levels.
For EATC, the Berlin Security Conference offered a key opportunity to reinforce understanding of air mobility’s role in Europe’s defence posture. “The central themes discussed in Berlin—unity, resilience, and readiness—reflect the core principles guiding EATC’s mission,” said General Mollard. “Our daily cooperation across seven member nations demonstrates what Europe can achieve when capabilities are shared, aligned, and jointly managed.”
High-Level Engagements with Partners and Stakeholders
Throughout the conference, General Mollard and Dr Verlaine held constructive exchanges with senior leaders, including Major-General Kasten Stoye (EUROCONTROL), Major General Frédéric Linotte (Belgian Armed Forces) and representatives from leading European defence and aerospace industries. These interactions highlighted a shared commitment to strengthening interoperability, modernising capabilities, and ensuring the availability of reliable air mobility solutions.
Discussions across the panels emphasised the growing importance of coordinated planning, harmonised defence requirements, and the rapid integration of emerging technologies. The insights provided by Nordic and European military leaders underlined the joint responsibility to ensure that Europe’s armed forces remain credible, capable, and prepared.
A Comprehensive Approach to Defence and Resilience
The conference also placed significant emphasis on the Total-Defence approach, a concept strongly driven by Nordic nations. Beyond traditional military capabilities, participants stressed the importance of robust societal resilience, protection of critical infrastructure, cyber defence, and secure industrial supply chains. These elements are increasingly recognised as essential foundations of Europe’s strategic preparedness.
EATC: A Proven Instrument of Multinational Cooperation
The 24th Berlin Security Conference once again demonstrated the value of sustained dialogue and cooperation among European nations. For EATC, the event confirmed the central role that shared air mobility capabilities play in supporting credible deterrence, operational effectiveness, and European cohesion.
EATC will continue to support its member nations by providing integrated, reliable and mission-ready air transport, air-to-air refuelling and aeromedical evacuation capabilities—contributing directly to Europe’s collective resilience and its ability to act decisively in an evolving security environment.