Command Perspective / EURAC as a Strategic Engine for European Air Forces
EURAC 2025 in Prague will bring together Europe’s air force commanders and senior defence industry leaders at a time when air power faces unprecedented challenges. As Lieutenant General Petr Čepelka, Commander of the Czech Air Force, explains, EURAC is no longer just a forum — it is a strategic accelerator shaping Europe’s response to global instability, technological disruption, and shifting alliance dynamics.
AIR POWER MUST ADAPT OR LOSE THE ADVANTAGE
General, as the principal architect of Czech air force capabilities, how do you view the role of EURAC in an era when aviation faces the twin challenges of entropy and chaos? How does this platform drive innovation and strategic planning in European air power?
I regard EURAC as a critical strategic platform, whose importance grows steadily within today’s volatile security landscape. The gathering of Europe’s air force commanders, alongside senior representatives from the defence and security industry, offers a unique opportunity to share visions, build consensus, and shape the future of European air power at a time marked by rising global uncertainty, technological acceleration, and strategic competition.
In this period of entropy and chaos, where the very paradigm of air superiority is shifting, EURAC stands out as an essential forum for building common ground among Europe’s air leaders. It provides a space for open, high-level dialogue on the future of air forces, European defence cooperation, and the collective response to global security challenges. The discussions here are not academic — they have direct impact on strategic planning, innovation, and the ability to respond flexibly to a rapidly changing operational environment.
This year’s theme — Air Dominance in a Multipolar World: Strategic Adaptation of European Air Forces to Shifting Global Alliance Dynamics — reflects these realities. We are witnessing a geopolitical shift towards multipolarity, intensified great power competition, and the rise of disruptive technologies that are rewriting the rules of engagement. No air force can afford to plan its future in isolation; cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and experience are essential.
EURAC in this context acts as an accelerator for innovation and strategic thinking. It allows not only the exchange of proven approaches but also the discussion of alternative, sometimes unconventional and bold solutions. It is a place to present ideas, seek joint approaches, and ultimately make decisions that can significantly influence the future balance of power in Europe’s airspace.
As the Commander of the Czech Air Force, I see EURAC not merely as an opportunity but as a responsibility: to actively contribute to shaping the European air strategy, to reflect our experiences and needs, and to seek synergy with partners with whom we share not only airspace, but also values and security responsibilities.
UNITED, AMBITIOUS, TECHNOLOGICALLY COMPETITIVE
What key topics should EURAC address this year? What strategies and innovations must European air forces adopt to effectively respond to the shifting geopolitical landscape?
This year at EURAC, we aim to open essential strategic discussions that arise from the changing global reality. Following the new U.S. administration, we are observing a shift in transatlantic relations. Washington remains firmly supportive of NATO but increasingly emphasizes the need for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence. The message is clear: we must strengthen Europe’s strategic and security autonomy.
We therefore want to discuss what these new U.S. strategic moves mean for European defence, how European air forces can better coordinate our capabilities, technologies, and capacities, where we can reduce dependence on U.S. supplies and strengthen our own defence industry, and how we can expand cooperation with potential partners beyond Europe.
It is equally important to look at the reality of modern warfare. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have revealed hard truths about high-intensity combat. Drones, cyberattacks, hybrid tactics, and integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) must all be part of our strategic adaptation. EURAC will also serve as a forum for sharing lessons from Ukraine and Israel. We will debate multi-domain operations, rapid response capabilities, independent decision-making, and the need to increase investments in the modernisation of Europe’s air forces and the fast adoption of new technologies.
And we must not neglect the near and distant future. Tomorrow’s air dominance will not be achieved without innovation in AI, autonomous systems, hypersonic technologies, and the military use of space. We will discuss joint development projects, future interoperability, and the creation of European capabilities in areas where we risk strategic lag.
STRATEGIC AUTONOMY IS NO LONGER OPTIONAL
With the rise of drones, AI, and miniaturised technologies, traditional operational concepts are evolving. How should air forces integrate these technologies to maintain operational effectiveness?
The technological revolution is transforming the character of air operations. Drones, AI, autonomous systems, and miniaturisation bring new capabilities — but also new risks. Traditional deployment concepts are losing relevance. Those who fail to adapt will lose the advantage. That is simply the reality.
Air forces must integrate these technologies not as an add-on but as the foundation of future operational systems. We need flexible force architectures that connect manned and unmanned systems, enable rapid data processing through AI, and ensure a high level of autonomous decision-making — especially where speed and precision are required without delay.
AI and autonomous platforms can significantly enhance battlespace management, shorten decision cycles, and improve force resilience in environments with limited connectivity or under heavy jamming. Miniaturised sensors and drones extend our ability to conduct reconnaissance and targeting across greater depths and breadths of the operational space.
But technology alone is not enough. We need new doctrines, new approaches to personnel training, and deeper cooperation with industry. Those who master strategic transformation — both technically and mentally — will set the rules for future conflicts.
BOLD IDEAS. SHARED SOLUTIONS. REAL IMPACT.
EURAC enables European air forces to share experiences. How vital is international cooperation in addressing emerging security threats, and what are its tangible benefits?
In today’s security environment — marked by unpredictability, hybrid threats, and technological acceleration — international cooperation is not a choice; it is a necessity. No nation, no matter how capable, can face today’s challenges alone.
EURAC as a forum for Europe’s air forces plays a key role. It allows us to share operational experiences, assess new threats in real time, and seek joint solutions. Through these discussions we can synchronise strategic thinking, harmonise technological development, and prepare for joint operations.
The benefits of this cooperation are concrete: more effective training, shared assets, aligned procedures, and joint investments in innovation. All of this significantly strengthens our ability to respond rapidly, adapt, and above all, act decisively. Together, we are unquestionably a stronger air force.
What do you expect from this year’s EURAC in Prague? What core message should guide European air forces as they plan their next steps?
From this year’s EURAC in Prague, I expect an open, strategic, and values-driven dialogue on what it means to be strong, cohesive, and capable in a rapidly changing security environment. I also expect us, as European air force leaders, to ask ourselves the essential questions: Are we ready to take on greater responsibility? Can we act swiftly and with unity? Do we have the courage to change mindsets, doctrines, and investment priorities?
The core message of this year’s meeting should be this: European air forces must be not only technologically advanced but also strategically adaptable, interoperable, and capable of independent decision-making in crises. That means investing in innovation, in people, and in cooperation — and building relevant 21st-century air power that can prevail even in the most demanding scenarios.
Interview by: Kateřina Urbanová
Photo credit: Czech Air Force
This interview with Lieutenant General Petr Čepelka, Commander of the Czech Air Force, was published in the second 2025 issue of ACE Magazine. As part of our editorial focus on European air power, it highlights EURAC 2025 in Prague as a strategic engine shaping the future of cooperation, innovation, and readiness across Europe’s air forces.
