Belgium. At Gilze-Rijen, 12 pilots
were trained to become RMCs.
Each task group was assigned
an RMC and a deputy RMC to
plan, brief, execute and debrief
the mission, enabling each pilot
to be trained twice in each role.
The task forces were composed
of the following aircraft:
- Task Force 1: two rotary-
wing RESCORT aircraft and two
or three recovery helicopters - Task Forces 2 and 3: two
rotary-wing RESCORT, two FW
RESCORT, two or three recovery
helicopters and one AEW aircraft
NATO and French E-3s and an
Italian G550 CAEW (Conformal
Airborne Early Warning) provided
support to two task forces
simultaneously, controlling
the fighters and acting as a
relay station between ISOP
and task force when needed.
The Gulfstream was also able
to support three task forces
using its communication suite’s
automatic relay function.
Mission scenario
Each morning, the (deputy) RMCs
began mission planning based
on the latest intelligence reports,
which provided details of the
number of ISOPs to be recovered,
the threat level of opposing forcesand presence of any ground-
based air defence systems. The
task force was then briefed.
From 13.30hrs, crews arrived
at their helicopters to complete
flight checks while extraction
forces boarded, before
departing Gilze-Rijen for their
assigned extraction locations.
The RESCORT helicopters were
first to arrive, taking up the OSC
role. Providing reconnaissance
and close air support, they called
in the recovery element of thetask force as soon as it was safe
to put helicopters on the ground.
The extraction forces exited the
helicopters which then departed
the landing zone (LZ) towards
an assigned holding track. On
the ground, the EFs recovered
the ISOP and provided medical
care as required before returning
to the LZ as soon as the ground
situation was stabilised.
The OSC then called for the
recovery teams to extract all
personnel on the ground while
providing CAS. With everyone
back in the recovery helicopters,
the task force left the scene.
Depending on the scenario, the
helicopters continued straight
back to Gilze-Rijen or a forward
arming and refuelling point
(FARP), three of which were
available to provide additional
training, including ‘hot’ refuelling.
The debriefing took place
back at Gilze-Rijen, with
the (deputy) RMC receiving
feedback from the EPRC staff
immediately afterwards.
Next year’s APROC will
be hosted by the Spanish
Air Force at Zaragoza.APROC 2018 participants
Country Aircraft Unit Home base Role
Operating from Gilze-Rijen AB
France 2 x AS555AN EH 5/67 Orange RW RESCORT
1 x NH90 NFH Flottille 33F Lanvéoc-Poulmic Recovery
Italy 2 x F-2000 4° Stormo Grosseto FW RESCORT
1 x G550 CAEW 14° Stormo Pratica di Mare AEW
1 x HH-101A 15° Stormo Cervia Recovery
1 x EH-101A 1° GRUPELICOT Luni-La Spezia Recovery
Netherlands 1 x CH-47D 298 Squadron Gilze-Rijen Recovery
2 x AH-64D 301 Squadron Gilze-Rijen RW RESCORT
1 x AS532U2 300 Squadron Gilze-Rijen Recovery
Poland 2 x Mi-24V 56 BLot Inowrocław RW RESCORT
Spain 1 x AS332B 803 Escuadrón Cuatro Vientos Recovery
Sweden 1 x HKP 16A 2.hkpskv Linköping-Malmen Recovery
United Kingdom 2 x Merlin HC3A 846 NAS RNAS Yeovilton Recovery
Operating from home bases
France 1 x E-3F 36e EDCA Avord AEW
NATO 1 x E-3A NAEW&CF Geilenkirchen AEW
Netherlands 2 x F-16AM 312/313/322 Squadrons Volkel/Leeuwarden FW RESCORTAcknowledgements:
Thanks to Claudia and Hans, RNLAF
DHC-SVC, and RNLAF EPRC training
manager Lt Col Bart Holewijn.Above left: French Navy NH90 NFH serial 20 (c/n 1342) from Flottille 33F cruises over the Dutch countryside during
a recovery mission. This year marked the fi rst time that APROC had been staged in the Netherlands. Ralph Blok
Above right: The crew of one of two French Air Force AS555AN Fennecs from Escadron d’Hélicoptères 5/67 ‘Alpilles’
at Orange that took part in the rotary-wing RESCORT role. Each task force included a pair of RW RESCORT assets.
Ralph Blok Below: The sole Italian Navy EH-101A involved in the exercise was MM81635 ‘2-20’ from 1° GRUPELICOT
based at Luni. Participating helicopters made use of FARPs located at Deelen, Volkel and Woensdrecht. Roelof-Jan GortAFMhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 27