MILITARY NATO TACTICAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME AT 40
64 | http://www.airinternational.comAlthough the format of the course has
stayed more or less the same during its 40
years, the programme is regularly updated.
The instructors assigned to the TLP are
operational pilots back at their home units,
to which they return after each course,
continuing flying and maintaining proficiency.
Upon returning to the TLP, any new tactics
and techniques are passed on to the members
of the academic and flying branches, who
implement changes necessitated by events
encountered on operations and devise new
protocols for training new students.
Probably one of the most interesting
challenges for the near future is the
integration of fourth and fifth-generation
fighters into the programme. The signing
of the memorandum of understanding to
extend the TLP in Albacete until at least
2029 will allow for new investment needed
to support aircraft such as the F-35 that are
entering service. For now, the TLP is waiting
for security guidelines to be established to
enable operation of the type from Albacete.
The first F-35 is expected to take part in a TLP
in around 2021.
Looking to the future, another challenge is
the integration of new technologies, such as
live, virtual and constructive training (LVC).
LVC will make a large saving in the budgets
of participating countries, since it will allow
the interaction between real and simulated
assets. By linking multiple flight simulators
that transmit data to aircraft that are
conducting real missions, it will be possible
to interact between the real and virtual
aircraft, creating scenarios that will be more
complex yet less costly.Out-of-region operations
Another of the new events this year will be
an out-of-region (OOR) course away from
Albacete, something that has not happened
since the programme moved to Spain. OOR
courses were a regular event when the
programme was run from its previous location
at Florennes, Belgium. It was the lower air
traffic congestion in the areas proposed by
Spain for training, plus the better weather, that
led to the move to Albacete in 2009.
During these almost nine years of
operations in Spain, there had not been anythought given to the possibility of organizing
an OOR course. The entry into service of
the first Italian F-35As last year led Italy to
suggest FC 2018-5 should take place at its
Amendola Air Base, home of 32° Stormo,
operator of Europe’s first Lightning IIs. The
chance to integrate these aircraft into a
course, along with the contribution of a
large number of OPFOR assets provided by
the Italians, was more than sufficient reason
to accept the offer.
Although this last course of the year is
being held in Italy, it will be run in the sameAn Italian HH-101 and an
AB212ICO, together with a
Spanish Super Puma, took part
in two CSAR missions during
FC 2018-01.
Since being established at Albacete, 28 flight
courses have been held, from which 974 pilots
have graduated. There have also been 103
academic courses with 2,865 graduates.