Defence`s Feeds

“This is not a one-time operating zone. We created an airspace arrangement that is enduring, so when we need to go back, it will be available.”

Whilst the majority of aviation enthusiasts and media watched four F-22s deploy to Europe for the first time, another quite interesting and significant deployment took place in a Baltic State.

In fact, according to the U.S. Air Force, two MQ-1 Predator drones and approximately 70 Airmen deployed to Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia beginning on Aug. 24 for a temporary deployment that will continue through mid-September.

The deployment aims to test the ability of 147th Reconnaissance Wing of the Texas Air National Guard based in Ellington Field in Houston, Texas to forward deploy, and to conduct air operations with the RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) “while [as usual] assuring NATO allies of our commitment to regional security and stability.”

As for the F-22s, that deployed in accordance with the Rapid Raptor Package concept, the deployment had to prove the unit’s ability to prepare, deploy, setup shop, fly and exercise all of the agreements, arrangements and relationships required to make this happen: key words are responsive and flexible operations.

“It validates basing and airspace arrangements, operations and host-nation agreements in a very real way,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Recker from the operations directorate at U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Headquarters in a release.

“This will test mobility, maintenance and logisticians arranging airlift,” he said. “Personnel have to make decisions about bandwidth, satellite communication, frequency allocation and frequency clearing.”

Interestingly, “This is not a one-time operating zone. We created an airspace arrangement that is enduring, so when we need to go back, it will be available,” said Recker.

During the deployment, Predators will not be involved in intelligence gathering missions, but will test ability to collect and share intelligence with other NATO allies.

But plans are to do something more, like Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) training: MQ-1 drones will collect intelligence that will be distributed to NATO JTACs so that they will be able to call in airstrikes of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes.

So, the military build-up in Europe continues with F-22s and MQ-1s performing brief deployments to test and validate their ability to reach the Old Continent in timely fashion, and to lay the foundations of longer presence of stealth jets and drones around eastern European nations threatened by Russia.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

 

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The third iteration of the prestigious Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course (HTIC) has just started at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, United Kingdom. The course aims to provide selected helicopter instructors with the tactical skills and knowledge to then deliver tactical training within their own organisations and throughout the Helicopter Exercise Programme events, such as Italian Blade exercise and Cold Blade exercise.

The 2015 HTIC is for the first time delivered under an EDA Category B programme, with its own approved programme arrangement signed in March 2015 by Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Additional EDA participating Member States have already shown interest in joining the programme in the near future.

The 2015 course is delivered by the EDA Chief Instructor, and a cadre of instructors from Sweden and the UK. 18 trainee instructors from Austria (OH-58), Sweden (UH-60 and NH-90) and the UK (CH-47) will be challenged to deliver high-end performances across the three main strands of the course, which will culminate in the planning and delivery of the complex Composite Air Operations (COMAO). 

The successful graduates will obtain Bronze or Silver HTI qualifications, corresponding to their experience and skill level. These qualifications are recognised by all the Member States involved in the helicopter programme. The instructors are expected to deliver courses themselves in the future, thus increasing their experience and competence. 33 more instructors from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden and the UK have already graduated from the previous two courses held in 2013 and 2014.

The ground and simulator phase of HTIC runs until 18 September and starts with the theory, giving a comprehensive introduction to Electronic Warfare and its application for rotary platforms in a hostile environment. Next, it moves on to look at Evasion Training against a range of ground and air threats and the tactics applicable to rotary tasking in non-permissive environments. The theory is then put into practice in the EDA tactics trainers and, finally, the live flying phase, which will be delivered from 28 September to 17 October 2015 at Vidsel range, Sweden. 

More information

• Helicopter Initiatives project page
• News "Final results of Italian Blade 2015" (07 July 2015)
• News "Second Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course Moves on to Sweden" (14 May 2014)

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