On 16 March 2026, the European Air Transport Command (EATC) welcomed a delegation from the Lufthansa Group to its headquarters in Eindhoven. The visit marked an important step in strengthening dialogue between military and civil aviation actors on future strategic airlift capabilities.
The delegation was led by Helene Kuchta, Senior Advisor Strategic Defence & NATO Affairs at Lufthansa Group. The primary objective of the visit was to explore the potential of including civil aviation companies in strategic airlift frameworks, particularly in support of crisis response and large-scale operations.
Building on Previous Cooperation
This engagement follows a working-level meeting held in November 2025 at Lufthansa’s facilities in Frankfurt, where discussions focused on the operational use and application of the System Wide Information Management (SWIM) concept in daily operations.
Exchange of Business Models and Capabilities
During the visit, Lufthansa Group provided an in-depth presentation of its business model, highlighting its multi-hub structure, extensive continental and intercontinental fleet, and robust cargo portfolio. The delegation also outlined its “network on demand” concept and scheduled operations, as well as its crisis management approach for ad hoc evacuation and disaster relief missions. EATC, in turn, presented its unique multinational framework, emphasizing the pooling and sharing of air transport and air-to-air refuelling capabilities among its member nations.
Exploring Synergies
A key focus of the discussions was identifying potential synergies between civil and military air transport models. Both parties examined similarities and differences in their operational approaches, with a view to leveraging complementary strengths. The dialogue underscored the growing importance of civil-military cooperation in addressing complex logistical challenges, particularly in crisis and contingency scenarios.
This visit highlights EATC’s commitment to fostering collaborations beyond the military domain and exploring innovative solutions to strengthen Europe’s strategic airlift capabilities.