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EDA, Germany, Sweden and UK sign Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course agreement.
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World
Defense & Security News - European Defence Agency |
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| EDA, Germany, Sweden and UK sign Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course agreement | |||
Yesterday,
in a signing ceremony held as part of the EDA Steering Board, Germany,
Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Defence Agency brought into
force an agreement to work together to deliver the European Helicopter
Tactics Instructor Course (HTIC). This course is designed to give selected
European helicopter crews an enhanced awareness of helicopter tactics,
operational employment and multi-national integration, said the EDA in
an official statement. |
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 HTIC is designed to give European crews an enhanced awareness of i.a. helicopters tactics and operational employement (Credit: EDA) |
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At the end of the
course, which is divided into three phases (ground-school, simulator
and live flying), graduates will be qualified to delivering tactical
instruction during home-based training; multinational courses and exercises;
and on operations. They will also be capable of providing helicopter
tactical advice at 1 Star level, as well as leading multi-platform complex
Composite Air Operations (COMAOs).
The concept of creating the HTIC was approved by the EDA Steering Board on 9 March 2011. The EDA in partnership with the UK Joint Helicopter Command and the Armed Forces of Sweden developed the concept during 2011/12 and the first course, jointly funded by Sweden and the UK was delivered at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and FMV Test Range, Vidsel in Northern Sweden in April-May 2013. The course consisted of 14 Students from Germany and Sweden and 14 instructors from the UK and received unanimous praise from all participants. Consequently, a year later, a second course was delivered. Enlarged and with additional financial support from the Multinational Helicopter Initiative, the 2nd course graduated students from Austria, Czech Republic, German, Sweden and the UK. Swedish graduates for the first course became staff instructors on the second – beginning the process of creating a self-sustaining cadre. Nineteen students graduated from six helicopter types: Kiowa, Mi-171, CH-53, UH-1, AS330, and NH90. The course also involved eight fast-jets (Alca 159, Hawk, Gripen) from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the UK. These were used as “red air” both in the academic sorties teaching fighter evasion and also in a free role, trying to prevent the helicopters completing their “mission”. The next course, No3 HTIC, will be the first organised under the new arrangements. It will take place in August-September 2015. Once again, the simulator phase will be delivered at the EDA simulator facility at Royal Air Force Linton-on-Ouse and the flying phase will be hosted by Sweden at Vidsel. The graduate instructors will go on to teach on future HTIC and also become mentors on the EDA Helicopter Exercise Programme. |
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