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NATO leadership prepares for spring steering committee

  • Published
  • By John Ingle
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AETCNS) --  Leadership from NATO partners will meet here next week to discuss a future that will include technological innovations and flexibility.

Col. Jeffrey Kendall, 80th Flying Training Wing commander, said because of draw downs to smaller air forces among the partners and a tightening of spending belts, the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training steering committee has to look at ways to increase involvement with the 13 currently-participating countries and newer alliance members.

"We are looking at ways we can include them in the program," the colonel said, adding that he is confident that a vote on ENJJPT 2008 will occur. The proposal would create a more flexible training unit that would allow nations to complete part or all of their flying training requirements here. "We're optimistic the committee is going to accept that proposal. We should be able to move forward with that."

An example, Colonel Kendall said, is the Polish Air Force. Poland joined the alliance March 12, 1999, along with the Czech Republic and Hungary. Its pilots have trained to fly MiG aircraft, but the Polish Air Force has also purchased F-16s for its inventory.

Colonel Kendall said because the two airframes are different, Polish pilots would require a form of cross training to fly the F-16. The colonel said he hopes the Polish students would train here, citing a huge difference between the cost of training in an F-16 and a T-38C.
In addition to cutting costs, the pilots would learn Western standards of flying training.

Colonel Kendall said the committee would also look at changing the training syllabus by 2008. He said the change is tied to the arrival of the new T-6A Texan, the replacement to the T-37 Tweet for introductory training.
The paradigm of training fighter pilots has shifted somewhat, he said. Now the focus is to train combat pilots ready for any airframe. "The core of the syllabus is fighter-driven," he said. "The standards remain the same."

The visit of Romanian Air Force officers will be another important opportunity throughout the week for the steering committee. The colonel said the officers will observe the committee and also conduct a site visit to gather information for a possible place to train their pilots. Romania and six other countries became NATO partners March 29, 2004.

Joe Spann, the chief of plans and programs at the 80 FTW, said the committee will also look at the number of student pilots each participating nation plans to send over the next three years. This gives the 80 FTW and ENJJPT an opportunity to forecast training in the future.

Knowing how many pilots will attend ENJJPT also allows the organization to offer more training slots to countries. It could also allow for another NATO country to participate in training here. "We have the available capacity to bring in new nation trainees," Colonel Kendall said.

The committee will begin meetings March 27, including an event hosted by the Wichita Falls Board of Commerce and Industry. The steering committee will complete discussions March 31. It will meet again in the fall at a NATO partner's country.