On June 16 through 26 EATT 2014 (European Air Transport Training) for aircraft crews was organised for a third time by the European Air Transport Fleet (EATF) in Bulgaria. Among over 450 participants, 19 air crews, and 10 airlift aircraft representing 12 countries (Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belgium, Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Norway and he Netherlands) the event was attended by two air crews of the Spartan C-27J aircraft of the Lithuanian Air Force led by captains Juras Vaitonis and Arūnas Jurgaitis.
EATT 2014 was an exercise type of training with the overall objective of achieving a far reaching level of interoperability between tactical airlift users and provides in the area of operations and training. The EATT is a unique opportunity for the Lithuania Air Force to learn from the experience of allies, train air personnel in operational planning of tactical airlift missions, airdropping of personnel and cargo, low level flights, night flights, electronic warfare, etc. The only such exercise of its kind is co-organised by the European Defence Agency and the European Air Transport Fleet is a different country annually. With such training not available in Lithuania, Lithuanian air personnel were given an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice.
The EATF, a project of the European Defence Agency, aimed at increasing the scope of strategic and tactical airlift conducted by pooled air assets the EU's member states. The project was launched in 2008 by 12 member states of the European Union: Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Lithuania has been part of EATF since 2011.
Information by the Lithuanian Air Force
Photo credits: Pascal Ballinger, Martin Gesenhoff, Pierre Lambert
