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18 to 29 May 2015
| The second European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course (EAATTC) was held at Orléans air base from 18 to 29 May 2015. |
| The EAATTC initiative is part of a wider training structure, which is the result of the cooperation in the European Air |
| Transport Fleet (EATF) partnership. This organization was created by the European Defence Agency in order to optimize |
| cooperation and coordination and to enhance airlift capacity among the twenty core member states (Austria, Belgium, |
| Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, |
| Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden). |
| The objectives of the EATF are to (1) increase the efficiency of existing and future airlift, (2) create synergy between existing |
| and future air transport organizations, (3) harmonize and standardize rules, regulations, and procedures regarding the |
| transport of personnel and equipment, and (4) look for costeffective solutions. |
| Besides the EAATTC courses, the ETAF also organizes the European Air Transport Training (EATT). Another event is |
| the annual European Air Transport Symposium (EATS) and |
| the European Advanced Tactical Instructor Course (EATIC). Over the last four years the number of aircrew that participated |
| in the different EATF courses has gone up from fifteen in 2012 to fifty in 2015. The number of participating aircraft |
| increased from seven to thirty-nine in the same period. According to the EAATTC 15-2 Course Director, Lieutenant |
| Colonel Rega, there will be an even bigger need for tactical instructors as the member states have identified a need of up |
| to nine EAATTC courses a year. |
| EAATTC 15-2 involved over 140 personnel from five countries. Belgium and Spain participated with a C-130H and |
| Italy sent a C-130J. Germany participated with one C-160 and France had two Transalls joining the exercise. Throughout |
| the exercise different French ground- and air assets participated. The course objective was to “provide training to |
| a qualified wingman in order to perform a mission as an element leader in operational theatre, including threats up |
| to and including radar guided SAM and air-to-air.” Compared to a current theatre of operations this would translate in preparing |
| aircrew for tactical missions above for instance Syria or Iraq. |
| The French Air Force is one of the few European Air Arms that has a lot of up to date operational experience in tactical transport |
| missions involving multiple aircraft. An example is the drop of 250 paratroopers over Timbuktu at the beginning of operation |
| Serval in Mali. |
| A total of 48 sorties were planned for EAATTC 15-2, which represented a planned total of around 120 flying hours. In order to |
| have enough flying days available the organization included two spare days in case of any cancelled sorties during the |
| exercise. As this was an advanced course, aircrew had to have completed the EAATTC single ship course or a national equivalent. |
| Only combat ready crew participated and the exercise was considered as part of the upgrade to ‘combat ready +’ |
| level for participants. Each aircrew was scheduled to fly nine sorties during the exercise. |
| The sorties during the first week had a low threat level. The idea was to let crews get used to the standard procedures |
| and differences between the participating aircraft. The differences between a C-130H or a C-130J are already considerable |
| and between a Hercules and Transall they are even bigger. But there are also differences in operating procedures |
| between member states flying the same type of aircraft. |
| During the second week there was more emphasis on flying with medium to high threat levels and the decision making |
| that comes with flying in more complex situations. Crews also flew low-level formation flying. The level of complexity |
| of sorties was further increased, by introducing surface-toair and air-to-air threats. |
| At the end of EAATTC 15-2 every crewmember received a certificate, which was based on the number and type of sorties |
| flown throughout the exercise. In order to graduate, participants had to fly at least three daytime sorties as leader and |
| one night sortie as either wingman or leader. A check flight took place during the last days of the exercise for which a list |
| of objectives was established. In order for the EAATTC 15-2 certificate to be used back home, the check flight was performed |
| with a national instructor pilot, for instance a Belgian instructor for the Belgian C-130H crew. This way there is no |
| need for any equivalence or additional qualifications after completing the EAATTC. |
| The following aircraft participated in the exercise: | |||
| R87/61-ZE | C-160R | ET00.064 | |
| R91/61-ZI | C-160R | ET00.064 |
| R160/61-ZZ | C-160R | ET00.064 |
| CH12 | C-130H | 20sm |
| 50+82 | C-160D | LTG 63 |
| MM62193/46-59 | C-130J-30 | 46°BA |
| T.10-09/31-06 | C-130H | Ala31 |
| Visit 21 May 2015 for VIP-day: | |||
| 105/XK | TBM-700A | ET00.043 | |
| 114/62-IJ | CN235M-200 | ET01.062 |
| 14+01 | Global 5000 | FBS BMVg |
| TM.11-2/47-22 | Falcon 20D | 472Esc |
| Also present were: | |||
| 0007/F-RBAA | A400M | ET01.061 | |
| 0014/F-RBAF | A400M | ET01.061 |
| 4588/61-PM | C-130H | ET02.061 |
| 5142/61-PE | C-130H | ET02.061 |
| One of the Hercules was used for a para drop during the |
| VIP-day. |
Credits: Jan Kraak
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