30 European helicopters in a grouped formation north of Rome

(BRUSSELS2) Thirty helicopters from half a dozen countries were indeed gathered in the hills north of Rome on Monday for an exercise organized by the European Defense Agency. The scenario was intended to be able to highlight all the possible interventions in a war zone: day, night, tactical or logistical transport, firing, dropping of combatants or extraction, medical evacuation or rescue pilots in distress. Six countries participated in the exercise: Italy - host country and framework nation which also provided most of the logistics - Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovenia. And different types of aircraft, from the brand new NH90 to the good old Chinook CH47, including the A129, AB412, Mi17 or Mi24, SuperPuma/Cougar...

The scenario

We are in a country – which strongly resembles Afghanistan. The conflict has claimed many victims among the civilian population. CIMIC and NGO elements are deployed on the ground to come to their aid, the local warlord wants to exploit this situation to attack the multinational forces in the valley which serves as a link between the different regions. The mission to hold key positions in the Harirude Valley, prevent opposition attack, and support ground troops by blocking lines of communication.

It all starts with paratroopers off by a Dornier 228. Objective of the regime's special forces “Col. Mischin”, create a FOD – forward operational detachment – ​​with the aim of obtaining information, patrolling and securing a landing zone (the LZ as landing zone) for airborne operations. Then come the transport helicopters, in three formations (alpha, bravo, charlie). Each protected by attack helicopters - Italian A129s or impressive Czech Mi24s. NH-90s must land a specially trained mortar unit to be operational within minutes of landing. And CH-47 Chinooks taking care of the quick reaction force (QRF). They are assisted in the air by a target determination detachment - which took place on board AB412.

The incidents follow one another

And the incidents follow one another, intended to test a little all the situations. The helicopters are caught in a ground fire, by a Manpad (a portable surface-to-air missile). A CH 47 Chinook helicopter, hit in one engine, is forced to land. Three helicopters intervened as reinforcements: one (German Chinook Ch 53) transported a spare engine, the other (Czech Mi 171) the technical team in charge of replacing it, the third (an Italian Chinook CH 47) the securing the place. All assisted by two Belgian A-109 helicopters.

Then, it is the troops disembarked on the ground that are taken under fire. The Mi-24 Hind are called to the rescue. During the assault on the ground, the QRF reports an injured person who is evacuated by a Slovenian Cougar helicopter equipped for the Medevac. It is also necessary to ensure the replenishment of mortars.

Special forces (SOF) are landed by Italian B-12 helicopters to ensure the neutralization of a suspicious building. While the Austrian B-12s carry a team of the 4th rangers intended to come to the aid of the local national army to block the access roads. It all ends with the extraction phase of the ground troops led by the German CH-53s, the Italian and Austrian B-12s, all under escort of the A129 Mongoose.

The lesson of the device

For ten days, the crews flew together in different environments - from dry and arid to mountains up to 2000 meters. The challenge was not small as explained by General Tarricone, commander of the Italian task force. "Given the heterogeneity of the helicopters that have taken, with a large difference in models, characteristics and performance, we have focused crew training on interoperability, whether for procedures, language or tactical training ».

Lthe role of the flight simulator

A flight simulator was also used to recreate the atmosphere of an A129 attack helicopter confronted with different scenarios or hostile environments, thus making it possible to perfect certain exercises such as the extraction of personnel from hostile terrain. A simulator that the Italians consider very useful and that they would like to see recognized as a European tool. They also took advantage of the exercise to praise the Viterbo center as one of the European Union's "centres of excellence" for the training of helicopter pilots (a center threatened by budget cuts within the Italian Air Force).

The integration of neutral and non-NATO countries

The integration of fleets like that of the Austrians - who are not members of NATO - has made it possible to perfect the system. " Working in a multinational is not easy from the outset says General Tarricone. " For some countries, we are used to NATO working together. But here we are moving into a European Union format. We do the same job, fly a helicopter. But we don't always have the same procedures. This exercise was therefore very useful. So we can do a better job in the future.. Because we will be used to sharing the work, the tasks »

training courses

This exercise is in fact part of a larger whole - specifies the Brig. General Mullin, of the European Defense Agency - of training courses, " very followed and appreciated by the Member States ". About twenty courses have already taken place – such as those on tactical flight (in which 6 countries participated) or operational English (with 11 participating countries) – or are scheduled. Course after course, exercise after exercise, the crews of the different nations are thus integrated into an operational context which includes a wide range of interventions - from the transport of troops or equipment to the strike, via the Medevac, the observation or dropping decoys.

Eventually: a joint helicopter aviation battalion

The medium-term objective is, in fact, to train and integrate the air units of European countries, in a "Joint Combat Aviation Battalion", a deplorable European air battalion in a crisis management operation. Such a "battalion" could be useful in an operation like Eufor Chad..." if indeed there is a political will clarifies, cautiously, an Italian officer.

... and a multinational unit

In the longer term, the European Defense Agency plans to form a "multinational helicopter unit", which could, like its alter ego of the EATF - for military transport aviation - include a wide range of multilateral or bilateral agreements (training, maintenance, joint purchase, etc.). A first meeting bringing together around ten of Member States (including France, Germany and the United Kingdom) took place within the European Defense Agency in March and should be followed by many others before the precise establishment.