From 24 to 25 March 2026, a senior delegation from the European Air Transport Command (EATC) attended the Distinguished Visitors (DV) Day of the Disabled Aircraft Recovery Training (DART) at Jever Air Base, Germany. The delegation, headed by Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Frank Best, visited the training to gain insight into this key multinational activity and to engage with participating personnel.
DART 2026 marks an important milestone for EATC. For the first time since its launch in 2012, the training is conducted in two consecutive sessions, enabling 100 trainees from 11 nations to participate. Using specialised recovery equipment and decommissioned aircraft, participants train a broad range of fixed-wing and rotary-wing recovery techniques, thereby enhancing interoperability and operational readiness among partner nations.
The programme began on 24 March with an informal introduction to force protection training delivered by the Objektschutzregiment der Luftwaffe “Friesland”. The EATC delegation had the opportunity to take part in a dry training session and small arms simulator exercises, providing practical insight into the unit’s training methods.
On the following day, the official programme included an office call with the Deputy Commander of Jever Air Base, Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Liebau, followed by a visit to the DART training area. There, the delegation observed several recovery scenarios involving the lifting, stabilisation, and transportation of various aircraft types, including fighter jets, transport aircraft, and helicopters. These demonstrations highlighted the technical complexity and high level of coordination required for effective aircraft recovery operations.
The DV Day provided a concise yet comprehensive overview of DART 2026, underlining its role as a cornerstone EATC training. By bringing together multiple nations in a realistic training environment, DART continues to strengthen cooperation, standardisation, and readiness in aircraft recovery across the EATC community.