On 8 July, the 2024 edition of the European Air-to-air Refuelling Training has officially started.
A team of EATC experts has reached Anchorage (Alaska) in recent days to finalize preparations with Germans and Americans counterparts and to welcome tankers and crews at US Airforce Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson.
Two weeks of exercise over the skies of Alaska, training air-to-air refuelling techniques in conjunction with a German-US led fighter exercise called "Arctic Defender 24” operating from Eielson Air Force base in north Alaska, in the big frame of the “Pacific Skies 24” deployment.
Five tankers, two A330 MRTT from MMU, a French A330 MRTT, a French A400M, a Canadian C-130H(T) and their crews will be ready to perform air-to-air-refuelling missions under the supervision of the training director, the French Air Force LtCol, Arnaud Viltart, Head of EATC's Training and Exercise Branch.
The 2024 edition of EART, performed for the first time outside Europe, will again offer dedicated training opportunities to the tanker crews with a special focus on dissimilar “multi-tanker formation” and “tanker-to-tanker” rendezvous procedures with a special emphasis on threat reactions and retrograde procedures in a brand new scenario.
@ Pictures from:
USAF - Staff Sgt. Derek Seifert, MMU, EATC