Sabena Technics has secured a 10-year support contract from France’s Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance (DMAé) to provide long-term maintenance and operational support for the Franco-German C-130J Super Hercules fleet operated from Évreux Air Base 105.
The contract, notified on December 24, 2025, covers the combined fleet of five C-130J-30 transports and five KC-130J tanker-transports flown by the Binational Air Transport Squadron (BATS) “Rhin.”
A “performance” support model for a binational fleet
DMAé has framed the CAROLUS contract as a Franco-German cooperation model, with tightened performance expectations across operational availability, supported onboard capabilities, turnaround times for scheduled maintenance, and expanded logistics services.
According to Sabena Technics, CAROLUS includes maintenance checks performed at its Bordeaux facility, supply chain and repair management, an on-site technical “front office” and logistics footprint at Évreux, 24-hour technical assistance, and continuing airworthiness management (CAMO) support.
Sabena Technics said the program will be executed in close partnership with Lockheed Martin as the C-130J manufacturer, and will also include cooperation with Rolls-Royce and Dowty for powerplant support.
“We are proud of the trust placed in Sabena technics by the Directorate of Aviation Maintenance to provide comprehensive operational support for the French and German C-130J fleet,” Sabena technics CEO Hervé Grandjean said in the company’s announcement.
Sabena Technics already supports France’s C-130H fleet and has been performing periodic C-check work on the Franco-German C-130J aircraft in recent years, positioning the company to scale up as the Évreux-based fleet matures into a steady operational rhythm.
Sustaining the post-Transall airlift stopgap
Formalized in September 2021, the C-130J fleet based at Évreux in northeastern France is one of the most integrated examples of day-to-day Franco-German operational cooperation, with mixed teams supporting a shared capability built around the Super Hercules.
France and Germany built the Évreux unit around the C-130J to close a tactical airlift and refueling gap as both countries moved away from the C-160 Transall era, while also seeking tighter interoperability in day-to-day operations.
The “Rhin/Rhein” fleet structure comprises two French C-130J-30s and two French KC-130Js, plus three German C-130J-30s and three German KC-130Js, for a total of 10 aircraft. Placed under European Air Transport Command (EATC) operational control, the squadron is expected to deliver up to 6,000 annual flight hours for Franco-German airlift and refueling missions.
