The European Tactical Airlift Program – Training (ETAP-T), an international military airlift exercise, concluded on 17 June, with assets and personnel from the Air Force and Army participating.
Started last June 5th in Beja in Portugal it finished, on 17 June, the European Tactical Airlift Programme – Training (ETAP-T) – one of the most important International exercises son Military air transport.
Eight participating nationsBesides Italy, which participated with an aircraft C130J of the 46th Air Brigade and with personnel from the Italian Army's Folgore Brigade, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom also trained jointly.
The training event was organised by Portuguese Air Force together with’European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETACand all’European Air Transport Command (EATC) for the purpose of train the crews for air transport operations complex operating environment, simulating dynamic situations that could occur in Operational Theatres current or future. Among the main objectives achieved is that of improve interoperability and the tactical awareness among the various Air Forces, developing European transport capability in various operations, including crisis operations, and sharing experiences and Operating procedure.
The missions carried out have been various types, as a single aircraft and in formation, at high and low altitude, both day and night using night vision goggles NVG (Night Vision GogglesMaterial launch flights have been carried out CDS (Container Delivery System) and “heavy“., Personal launch at high and low altitudes. Among these, also launch activities. JPADS (Joint Precision Air Delivery System, a precision system for the airdrop of high-altitude supplies, thanks to a GPS autonomous guidance system, known as AGU (Autonomous Guidance Unit.
During this exercise, we obtained the best JPADS landing so far seen from Italy. During the launch activities on June 9th, a load weighing 1760 pounds, released from an altitude of 11,000 feet (approximately 3300 metreshas landed 0.5 metres from its target. Along with the cargo, 5 paratroopers from the Folgore Brigade jumped, following it throughout its flight.
Up to now, JPADS have been launched both in Foreign exercises in Portugal, in Bulgaria, in the United Arab Emirates, in Qatar, which in real operations in Afghanistan with approximately 21 launches, for a total around 50 launches. The best result to date was achieved in Bala Murghab in Afghanistan with a result of 14 metres from a 18,000-foot drop.
This launch method allows to provide Aid, provisions, fuel and material a ground personnel, by a high-altitude aircraft, allowing its safety from any enemy attacks in hostile theatres.
Among other things Training activities also throws of type Combat Off Load, where the loads were slid to the ground from the ramp of the C-130J still taxiing on the runway. Numerous have been the landings and Assault landings Its semi-prepared runways (grass, earth) with airborne refuelling and landing, and air-to-air and air-to-ground threat simulations were also carried out with the execution of Evasive manoeuvres.
Another activity of absolute importance is the launch in a single flight of 4 diverse categoriesa launch JPADS a quota 6,000 feet (approximately 2,000 metres), a jump for personnel“free fall” or rather TCL (Freefall Technique) from an altitude of 10,000 feet (approximately 3,000 metres), after which material is released CDS (Container Delivery System) a quota 600 piedi (circa 200 metri) e concludere il lancio di personale, sia italiano che portoghese, a 1300 piedi (circa 400 metri) con tecnica funi di vincolo (FV).
Over these two intense, volatile weeks, activities have followed one another continuously with an average of 2 outings per day, one daytime and one nighttime for a total of about 35 hours of flying and of 14 missions. The joint training exercise enabled the flight crews, maintenance personnel, CATO – Combined Air Terminal Operation – and paratroopers of the Folgore Brigade to achieve an excellent level of interoperability, as well as excellent results in terms of both training and operational readiness.
During the “Visitors' Day”the representatives of EATC and the various Air Forces that took part in the exercise expressed the importance of improving interoperability at both European and EATC level. For the Air Force Commander of the Air Squad, Air Marshal Alberto Biavati highlighted: “All exercises conducted with other air forces from other nations are an added value to the training of everyone, primarily because we encounter different tactics, different aircraft and different mindsets. Therefore, I believe that, with all the various operational activities of which the 46th Air Brigade in particular is decidedly well endowed, it is absolutely necessary to participate in all these opportunities that are offered to us. In reference to JPADS launchers General Biavati, the Commander, continued, “sThe usefulness of JPADS drops has undoubtedly been widely demonstrated, even in operational theatres, and these are drops that can save human lives..He then concluded: ””the enthusiasm and capability that our military personnel widely demonstrate in all their activities, and which allows them to excel even in the international arena."
