Personnel and assets from six nations took part in the course held in Spain. The Italian Air Force participated in the course, which began on Monday 14th January, with two Eurofighters from the 4th Wing of Grosseto (GR), two Tornado ECRs from the 50th Wing of Piacenza (PC), a P.180 and a KC-767A tanker from the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare (RM), an HH-3F and a team of air rescue personnel as an “extraction team” from the 15th Wing of Cervia (CE), within the scope of CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) missions, intelligence personnel from the 50th Wing, an interception controller from the Air Defence Reporting and Control Group of Poggio Renatico (FE) and personnel from the ReSTOGE (Electronic Warfare Operational Technical Support Department) of Pratica di Mare (RM).
The results achieved have been excellent, both in terms of sorties flown and training objectives met. The participation of the KC-767A aircraft in support of in-flight refuelling operations, for the first time since the TLP relocated to Albacete Air Base, was met with enthusiasm by both the participants, who were tasked with integrating an HVAA (High Value Airborne Asset) like the tanker as effectively and efficiently as possible, exploiting its full potential as a “force multiplier,” and by the instructor staff, who were able to present an even more complex and challenging mission. A confirmation of this came from the strong interest shown by foreign personnel regarding the KC-767's capabilities and the appreciation expressed towards the Air Force for making such an asset available.
For the duration of the four-week course, the crews and support personnel were engaged in the planning, conduct, and execution of COMAO (Composite Air Operations) based on scenarios that simulated the different contexts in which air power can be employed. The level of challenge faced by the participants was high, given the presence of numerous aircraft acting as “aggressors,” such as 2 Spanish F/A 18s and 2 Eurofighters, 2 American F15Cs, 2 Greek F16Cs, 2 Belgian Alphajets, as well as a Spanish C295 and an SH-3D helicopter.
In order to present different threats, in terms of characteristics and performance, GBAD (Ground Based Air Defence – Nasams) assets and TRTG (Tactical Radar Threat Generator, surface-to-air threat simulators) systems were also employed. The use of BOSS (Battlefield Operation Support System), a Link-16 system with complex simulation capabilities and capable of presenting a complete “air picture,” allowed TLP instructor personnel to provide participants with much more complex and challenging missions, as well as to monitor, in real-time, the execution of the planned activity, exercising some command and control functions. The Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP), which has been based at Albacete Air Base in Spain since July 2009, is an organisation established on the basis of a “Memorandum of Understanding” signed by 10 Nations (Italy, Spain, United States, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Germany, and Denmark). Italy joined the TLP as a signatory Nation in January 1996. Its mission is to improve the effectiveness of air operations conducted by Allied Forces by promoting the development of assertive leadership skills and the abilities for analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation of “combined” air activities, required of a “Mission Commander”. The TLP actively collaborates with NATO on the basis of a “Letter of Agreement” signed by the two Organisations.
