Seven aircraft from six countries (Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) currently gather at Zaragoza Airbase in Spain for the fourth training event this year organised in the framework of the European Air Transport Fleet (EATF). From 6 to 18 September, participants of the European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course (EAATTC) will undergo a robust training in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. A total of 130 flight hours and 63 sorties are planned.
The first week of the course will start with tactical awareness academics spread over four half-days and basic flying sorties. The complexity of the missions will increase over the course of the second week to involve low-level flying, cargo and personnel air drop, engine running operations, air-to-air (F18 and Eurofighters) and surface-to-air threats as well as maximum effort landings. At the end of the two weeks course, crews will receive a graduation certificate and patch.
Host country: Spain
The European Air Transport Command (EATC), EDA and Spain as host nation constitute the “Core Planning Team” of the flying event. Together with a team of international tactical instructors from seven different countries (Belgium, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, France and Germany), they will challenge the course participants. This is the fourth time that Spain is hosting an EATF event. Moreover Spain has been selected to host the permanent European Airlift Centre (ETAC) with its tactical arrangement currently under development. The Initial Operating Capability (IOC) of the centre is foreseen for September 2016.
Improving interoperability
Initiated by the European Defence Agency and run by the European Air Transport Command, the EAATTC series of courses aim to provide air transport crews with a robust airlift tactics training syllabus in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. It takes crews into a theatre-deployment mindset, exposing them to airland and airdrop missions in a tactically-challenging environment. Emphasis is put on aircraft operations and on application of procedures in a changing environment. The EAATTC series of courses is one of the deliverables of the European Air Transport Fleet partnership, launched in 2011 by 20 participating nations under the framework of the European Defence Agency.
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