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A delegation from the SEDE Subcommittee of the European Parliament, led by Chair Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, visited the European Defence Agency today to discuss a range of defence related topics. They were received by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos as well as the Directors for Cooperation, Planning & Support (CPS) and European Synergies & Innovation (ESI), Roland Van Reybroeck and Denis Roger.

Welcoming the MEPs to the Agency, Chief Executive Jorge Domecq underlined that the EDA attaches great significance to the European Parliament in general, and the SEDE in particular. “Your subcommittee has been of great help in developing the full potential of the Agency and a crucial actor to promote defence cooperation”, he said.

MEPs were updated on the upcoming launch of the Preparatory Action (PA) on defence-related research, the ongoing capability development process (and specifically its links with defence research activities), EDA’s role in implementing the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) as well as on the ongoing Long Term Review process of the EDA. The various presentations were followed by a lively and interesting exchange of views on a wide variety of topics. 

The SEDE delegation was composed by the following MEPs: Anna Elzbieta FOTYGA (ECR), Michael GAHLER (EPP), Geoffrey VAN ORDEN (ECR), Norica NICOLAI (ALDE),  Eva KAILI (SD), Janusz ZEMKE (SD), Indre TARAND (Greens/EFA), Bodil VALERO (Greens/EFA), Doru-Claudian FRUNZULICA (SD), Tunne KELAM (EPP), Iveta GRIGULE (ALDE), Eugen FREUND (SD), Georgios KYRTSOS (EPP), Massimo CASTALDO (EFDD), Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENE (EPP). 

 

More information:

• Members of European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) visit the EDA (November 2016)
  
  

The 5th in the series of Helicopter Tactics Instructors Courses (HTIC) to be ran by EDA on behalf of Member States will kick off on 15 May 2017 at Royal Air Force (RAF) Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire in the United Kingdom.  The HTIC has grown significantly over the four previous courses both in terms of scope and quality and, for the first time, almost all of the staff instructors (90%) will be successful graduates of previous courses.  This point of self-sustainment is a long-held aspiration, which dates back to when the programme was first initiated by the EDA over five years ago, and marks a final chapter on its route to maturity.

The 5th HTIC will begin with a four-week classroom phase including simulator exercises at Linton-on-Ouse.  This is followed by a three week deployment to Arvidsjaur Airfield in Lapland (Sweden) where the participants will engage in live flying exercises operating Swedish Blackhawks, Austrian Huey, Kiowa & Blackhawks and German CH-53s. 

The Staff Instructors will come from Sweden, Austria and the UK with supporting air assets including: Hawks from 100 Sqn (UK), Gripens from F21 Wing in Lulea (Sweden) and Alca Jets from the Czech Air Force.  Additionally, a DA-20 Falcon from Cobham Aviation will provide EW and C2 support, augmented with ground based Electronic Warfare (EW) assets provided by RAF Spadeadam’s EW Range.  In total, around 35 trainees and instructors will participate in the ground phase.  However, that number will swell to  over 120, with all the supporting assets, engineers and operations personnel during the flying phase.

 

Background

The EDA’s Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC) provides aircrew from participating nations with the skills and knowledge to teach advanced tactics to front-line aircrews from within their own national organisations and to assist in delivering the EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and the future HTIC. Successful graduates from the course are awarded a qualification recognised by other Member States.  HTIC development courses run over two years: in the first year, prospective instructors refine their own knowledge of advanced helicopter tactics to the maximum degree. In the second year, the emphasis shifts  to develop the participants’ ability to teach those tactics. In turn, Instructors who have demonstrated above average abilities in delivering the course will be individually selected to become supervising instructors for future HTIC.

The three main elements of HTIC include Evasion Training, Electronic Warfare and advanced Operations.  They are initially taught as stand-alone skills before being brought together in a complex, non-permissive environment in the framework of the planning and execution of Composite Air Operations (COMAO).

 

After a long, cold, hard winter, Nawruz is finally here. Spring itself seems a little late this year. By 1 Hamal 1395, the trees were already in full bloom in Kabul. Not this year. Still, we are sure that balmier days will soon be here and, as the gardens awaken, the fragrance of flowers will fill the air. Here at AAN, we would like to wish all our readers and friends a blessed year to come. We’ve found some favourite Nawruz poetry and photos to celebrate.

Children playing football beneath Darulaman Palace, Kabul, with Arghawan (Judas trees, Cercis siliquastrum) in blossom (Photo: Thomas Ruttig)

نداند باغ ویران جز زبان باد نوروزی
به قول او کند ایدون همی آباد ویران‌ها The ruined garden knows nothing but the language of the Nawruz breeze,
At the behest of that breeze, it will now mend all the ruins

– Naser Khosraw

Gul-e khatmi (hollyhocks, Alcea rosea) from the AAN garden (Photo: Thomas Ruttig)

نوروز رخت دیدم خوش اشک بباریدم
نوروز و چنین باران باریده مبارک باد

I shed tears of happiness upon seeing the Nawruz of your face,
May Nawruz and such a rain of happy tears be blessed!

– Rumi بهار
آنجا نگه کن
با همین آفاق تنگ خانه ی تو
باز هم کوهها پیداست
……..
بهار اینجاست
در دلهای ما
آوازهای ما Look there Spring
The mountains can be seen
Even from the narrow outlook of your house
…….
Spring is here
In our hearts
In our songs -Mehdi Akhavan Sales

راغی پسرلی بیا به وطـــــن ګل و ګلــــــزار شــــي
بیا به په وطن کې د بلبلـــو چــــغـــــهــــار شــــــــي
Spring has arrived and the country will again become colourful with flowers
The nightingales will being to sing their songs all across the country

ډکه به لمنه د صحـــرا لـــــــه زیــــــړو ګلـــــو وي
بیا به شنه شالونه غرو رغو بانـــدې اوار شـــــــي
The yellow flowers will fill the desert margins
Greenery will cast its shawl over all the mountains and hills

کډې به باریږي د اوښانو غــــــرغـــــــړې بــــه وي
رنګ په رنګ ټیکري به بیا ښکاره په دغه لار شي
The Kuchis will begin to move and their camels will make their sounds
This way will again become beautiful with the colors of the beautiful shawls of girls

وايي به شپانه د شوق سندرې بیا د غرو په ســــر
وچ سپیره ډاګونه به رنګین او لاله زار شــــــــي
The shepherds will be singing lovely songs from the hilltops
The dried and dusty deserts will again be colorful and green.
– Gul Pacha Ulfat

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