Seven European countries recently gathered at Beja Air Base in Portugal for intensive tactical training designed not only to improve flight skills but also to strengthen cooperation between them: the European Tactical Airlift Program Course (ETAP-C). This course forms an important basis for joint military readiness.
By training crews from different countries using the same European tactics, techniques and procedures, a common operational approach has been developed, which is crucial in situations where rapid, coordinated action is required. In this way, ETAP-C contributes to the resilience of tactical airlift in Europe.
Realistic missions
ETAP-C offered the participants a wide range of tactical missions, including air supply, air landings and formation flying. The training phase was based on the principle of “train as you fight, fight as you train”. This means that the exercise was not limited to simulations, but corresponded as closely as possible to the intensity of real operations. These realistic elements were added as the crews carried out their tasks to test their decision making and situational awareness.
From airborne landings to combined air operations and responses to simulated threats ranging from electronic warfare and air defense to the presence of enemy vehicles: Crews were exposed to realistic scenarios that resembled the pressure and complexity of the battlefield as closely as possible.
Multinational cooperation in action
Seven countries actively participated in ETAP-C 2025:
Cooperation between the air forces was structured under the direction of the European Tactical Airlift Center (ETAC). This center coordinated the exercise from concept to execution, ensuring that all participants worked to the same standards. Despite different languages and national procedures, the standardization ensured smooth integration.
Türkischer Tarnkappen-UCAV Bayraktar Kizilelma erhält eingebettetes Zielsystem
Investing in European security
ETAP-C sees itself as an “investment in Europe’s collective security”. Through joint training under realistic conditions, the crews develop important skills such as reacting to threats, flying in formation and making decisions under pressure. Participants learn to work effectively with other nations in complex operations, in addition to the operational use of their own equipment.
Click here for further reports on the Italian armed forces, here for further reports on the Belgian armed forces, here for current reports on Poland’s armed forces, here for further reports on the German armed forces, here for further reports on the Portuguese armed forces and here for further reports on the French armed forces.
