A RAF Voyager aircraft has participated in the Tactical Leadership Programme, providing air-air refuelling support to one of the most challenging flying training courses in NATO.
At Los Llanos Air Base, Spain, individually selected pilots and aircrew from across NATO undertake the three-week Tactical Leadership Programme, part of a long-running initiative to improve the interoperability and effectiveness of Allied Air Forces.
In practical terms personnel are instructed on the planning, briefing and execution of tactical air operations. This includes acting as mission commanders to lead multinational training sorties involving formations of different types of fighter aircraft and helicopters.
Operating from Torrejón Air Force base near Madrid, the Voyager crew drawn from 10 Squadron and 101 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, provided fuel to some of the fighter jets from seven NATO countries including Eurofighters from the German Air Force and F-35B Lightnings from the US Marine Corps.
"There are other schools or centres like Red Flag or Top Gun, but a leadership programme based on the fact our customers are multi-national is unique."
Colonel Presa
Tactical Leadership Programme Commandant
NATO air-air tanker and fast jet crews are trained to standard operating procedures laid out in NATO documents. The skills required to refuel are perishable and so regular practice is required.
"The scenarios are as realistic as can make them. We have 12 scenarios we use throughout each flying course on Tactical Leadership Programme. There’s months that go into the planning of these, and they include attacking defended airfields, a combat search and rescue mission, various synthetic and real surface-to-air missiles sites, and a very effective simulation of Red Air."
Wing Commander Millington
UK Senior National Representative
The RAF Voyager fleet provides vital support to UK Defence. In addition to AAR at home and overseas, including on Operation Shader, the fleet are an integral part of UK Quick Reaction Alert in the UK and the Falkland Islands, the support of overseas bases and exercises, and most recently part of the operation to safely evacuate civilians from Afghanistan.
"We provide Air-to-Air Refuelling to the jets which enables them to stay in the air much longer. This also adds a good deal of realism to the fight for them because in reality they would come to us to refuel in most scenarios, and so it gives them practice whilst under pressure."
Squadron Leader Winsor
Mission Support Officer 10 Squadron
