Airforces - Demo Hornet

ot Blade 2018 (HB18)

was the 12th annual

international helicopter

exercise organised by the

European Defence Agency’s (EDA’s)

Helicopter Exercise Programme

(HEP). HB18 took place at Base

Aérea No 11 at Beja in Portugal

from May 7-24 and, apart from

the hosts, participants came from

Belgium, Germany, Hungary, the

Netherlands and Slovenia. The

Czech Republic and Italy provided

observers and, in total, around

1,200 personnel took part. The

countries taking part may vary, but

they share common interests, and

sometimes individual nations call for

specific scenarios to be included.

Exercises of this kind are vital

to retain skills and currencies.

However, integrating European

armed forces also calls for common

procedures. This begins with

speaking the same operational

language and then developing

proficiencies in increasingly

complex routines. Portugal offers

fewer training

restrictions

than many

other European

locations and

the hot climate

resembles conditions

in areas such as

Afghanistan or Mali.

‘Jedi’ leader

The exercise commander Lt

Col João ‘Jedi’ Rośa, of the

Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP,

Portuguese Air Force) used

the phrase “Together we are

stronger” in his closing remarks

at the exercise. For him,

this “describes all the facets

of interoperability, including

knowing each other’s strengths

and weaknesses and different

viewpoints. Initially, some ice

needed to be broken but comfort

levels soon increased, and the

progress became clear. Halfway

through the exercise, around 80%

of targets were being reached.”

Lt Col Rośa

appreciates

the challenge

of multinational

work and

admitted:

“the hard part

is making the

participants a team

at the end of the day”.

Fast-movers

Fast jets were involved, as

they had been in previous HB

exercises in Portugal. Lt Col

Rośa continued: “For air force

jet pilots, supporting helicopter

operations is different, but it’s

important for both assets. Rotary-

wing pilots learn the advantages

of the jets and F-16 pilots discover

the importance of this branch of

warfare. Both fixed- and rotary-

wing pilots designate common

objectives, communicate on

the same frequencies, and

brief and debrief together. The

fast jet involvement is one of

the reasons participants came

to Portugal to join HB18.”

Ground support

The logistic officer in charge of

ground support at Beja explained

his role in HB18. “Everyone

performs their own flight line

maintenance themselves,” he told

AFM. “Whenever necessary we

provide co-ordination and means

such as fuel supply, ammunition

storage, towing of helicopters

HB18 – aircraft

participants

Operator Type

Portugal 2 x EH101, 1 x C295M,

1 x P-3C Orion,

2 x F-16s (additional

F-16s from Monte Real),

2 x Alouette III

Belgium 3 x A109

Germany 6 x NH90

Hungary 2 x Mi-17

Slovenia 1 x AS532 Cougar

Netherlands 2 x CH-47 Chinook,

2 x AS532 Cougar

strongerstronger

Together

strongerstronger

TogetherTogether

we are

resembles conditions

Afghanistan or Mali.

appreciates

the challenge

of multinational

work and

admitted:

“the hard part

is making the

participants a team

stronger

As the name suggests, Hot Blade is all about

helicopter flying in ‘hot and high’ conditions.

Kees Otten and Wim Das were in Beja, Portugal,

where the local terrain and climate provide an

excellent training environment.

94 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

H

Exercise

Report Hot Blade 2018