with the Netherlands, and HB18
included a lot of night operations.”
Portuguese pathfinder soldiers
on the ground could be found
being assisted by a Dutch
loadmaster or a mobile air
operations team (MAOT) to
connect loads to the Chinooks.
One such mission involved
recovering vital parts after a
supposed F-16 crash. On this
occasion, four German NH90s
inserted pathfinders on the LZ
and they secured the site. Once
the first Chinook had lifted the
slung load, a second example
picked up the pathfinders.
Flying with soldiers from other
countries requires extensive
planning and discussion. Some
pilots admitted they wouldn’t have
been able to complete missions
without the help of liaison officers.
For the Dutch, flying over
unfamiliar territory was especially
valuable, as was combining with
fast jets and practising combined
air operations (COMAOs) with
other nations and different
procedures. The mission
spectrum also covered all types of
close air support including urban
and emergency CAS, plus combat
search and rescue (CSAR),
combat service support (CSS)
and medical/casualty evacuation
(medevac/casevac) – with Portugal
and Slovenia providing flight
medics. Other designated tasks
comprised military/non-military
extractions, personnel recovery
(PR), air assault, convoy helicopter
escort and special operations.
Tactics & awareness
Germany and the Netherlands
are used to working with each
other in the Division Schnelle
Kräfte (Rapid Forces Division),
where co-operation has become
second nature. Common
ground is also shared with
Belgium, but interaction with
Portuguese soldiers was new.
A typical mission scenario
involved one country invading
another. Smaller set-ups as part
of the whole concept were then
chosen to meet national and EDA
requirements. Working up to
more complex missions, it soon
reached the level of a COMAO
and several waves were flown
daily, including after dark with
night-vision goggles (NVGs).
The COMAO known as Operation
Vodka involved different packages
(one with two Dutch CH-47s and
four German NH90s, and one with
a Slovenian Cougar, Portuguese
EH101 and two Dutch Cougars)
acting as Blue Air. The mission
was tasked by the air boss, afterAbove: The Mallina electro-optical/UV system was used to simulate hostile
SAMs. Below: COMAOs were a feature of the scenarios played out at HB18.
Here, Portuguese EH101 serial 19601 of Esquadra 751 ‘Pumas’ is joined by
Hungarian Mi-17N serial 705 from MH 86. Szolnok Helikopter Bázis.
Bottom: Commandos leap from a Hungarian ‘Hip’ into a lake.96 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Hot Blade 2018
Exercise
Report