Since NATO decided on the redeployment date from Afghanistan, EATC is in close contact with its seven member nations to coordinate and plan flights to bring back troops and cargo from all over the country.
EATC commanded the first official redeployment mission on 18 May 2021. The focus with redeployment lies on the transport of personnel from Afghanistan: so far, over 500 military personnel and 100 tons of cargo have been transported back to Europe and the numbers are growing day by day. While the first intention was to finish the redeployment by the beginning September 2021, timelines have moved forward and it currently looks like the last flights will leave Afghanistan in July 2021.
Redeploying the forces and material from Afghanistan is a major endeavour, requiring a reliable and resilient planning process. To guarantee the success of this joint effort, it is of utmost importance that the nations can rely on each other to share their air transport assets, allowing a safe, smooth and timely transport of everyone’s personnel.