France To Transfer Airlifters To EATC

France is due to sign over authority for a large portion of its airlifters to the European Air Transport Command on Nov. 30. The EATC is a partnership of Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium to consolidate airlift assets to gain efficiencies. Germany signed over its airlifters and shut down its airlift planning cell in October, and the Netherlands followed on Nov. 26. Belgium, the final partner, plans to do so in January, says air force Col. Mike de Coninck, an EATC official. EATC will oversee 168 aircraft, including 80 from Germany and 61 from France. The European command is expected to declare its initial operational capability soon after the Belgian move, de Coninck tells a military airlifter conference. EATC is still defining what needs to be done to reach full operational capability, which is expected around 2013. De Coninck says planning for EATC expansion is beginning, but that will not happen until after full operational capability is reached. EATC also will be the tactical control organization for the planned European multinational airlift unit of Airbus Military A400M users.