Chief of the Air Force Reserve and Commander of Air Force Reserve Command Lt. Gen. John Healy is expanding international partnerships through a strategic engagement tour across Europe this month. The tour advances the Reserve Allies and Partners Program's mission to build interoperable reserve capabilities and strengthen international partnerships in support of combatant commander priorities.
The RAPP initiative launched in 2024. It represents the Air Force Reserve's strategic commitment to develop relationships among international reserve forces to meet threats and build strategic depth across allied and partner networks. Through key leader engagements, exercises, military-to-military exchanges and force development programs, RAPP advances Department of the Air Force objectives while strengthening deterrence capabilities.
Healy's engagement with the Netherlands Air Force leadership builds upon existing collaboration. Recent Pentagon visits and current initiatives focus on best practices for pilot retention and reserve force management. The discussions explore expanded opportunities for Dutch reservist participation in professional military education through the Integrated Defense Leadership Course and officer development programs via distance learning.
At French Armed Forces Headquarters in Paris, Healy and Vice Chief of the French Air and Space Force Lt. Gen. Dominique Tardif signed bilateral cooperation terms of reference. The agreement formalizes future military-to-military engagements between the U.S. Air Force Reserve and French forces. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in areas that include C-130J operations, base defense capabilities, firefighting operations and professional development exchanges.
"This trip represents a significant milestone in our efforts to build strategic depth across allied and partner networks," Healy said. "The partnerships we establish through RAPP directly enhance our collective ability to deter and, if necessary, defeat common adversaries."
Healy emphasized the tangible benefits these new agreements will bring to both the U.S. and its partners.
"The Terms of Reference with France opens the door for meaningful collaboration in critical mission areas," Healy said. "Our reserve forces bring decades of experience and expertise that, when combined with French capabilities, create powerful synergies for both nations."
A significant portion of the European tour includes participation in the International Air Reserve Symposium. The theme is "Readiness and Training of Reservists." The gathering brings together senior reserve leaders from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and Italy to address common challenges and develop partnerships in reserve force development.
"The discussions at IARS reinforce what we already know: reserve forces are cost effective force multipliers that provide strategic depth in a complex security environment," Healy said. "The shared challenges we face require collaborative solutions, and events like this symposium are essential for those relationships."
The symposium discussions reinforce the strategic importance of reserve forces in a complex global security environment. Current tensions underscore the need for interoperable, responsive reserve capabilities. Healy announced that the U.S. Air Force Reserve will host the 30th IARS at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, in September 2026.
