With the signing of the second intergovernmental agreement on Franco-German cooperation in the field of air transport, the German and French Defence Ministers, Annegret Kramp Karrenbauer and Florence Parly, cleared the last hurdle for the official founding of a joint Franco-German squadron on 1 September 2021. As the German MoD has announced, the core of the project is the creation of a bi-national squadron and a training centre at the Évreux airbase. Construction of the bi-national tactical airlift fleet began in 2016 and is intended to strengthen the interoperability of the two armed forces.
Ten C-130J transport aircraft will be operated by mixed German and French crews. France has already received its four C-130Js and the first German aircraft will soon take off on its maiden flight and will be delivered in early 2022. For the other five, delivery has been agreed by the end of 2023. Initial Operational Capability is to be achieved in autumn 2021 with the installation of the unit in Evreux. Full operational capability will be achieved in 2024, reports the German MoD
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