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TLP 2008-3

10 June 2008



To allow NATO aircrews to complete successful misssions in time of conflict together, they have to train together. One of the ways NATO tries to accomplish this goal is with the multi-national training programme TLP.

The Tactical Leadership Programmes have been taking place at Florennes since 1989. Partcipation wise they often have some very interesting aircraft in attendance, which sometimes are rarely if ever seen at airshows.

As far as the line-up was concerned, TLP2008-3 was a good one, with participants from the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Italy and Turkey. The latter brought the highlights to many, 2 F-4E Phantoms IIs, although their F-16Cs didn't look too shabby either with their large squadron markings on the tail.

Tuesday June 10 saw the final day of good weather for this TLP-session, so many planespotters rushed off to Florennes to catch these aircraft in flight. The mission scheduled for that day was 'Combar Search and Rescue Mission Option One', supported by a NATO E-3A Sentry, 2 French Super Pumas and 2 Dutch Apaches.

Unfortunately, a move to Albacete in the summer of 2009 means that soon, such an exciting group of foreign aircraft will be a thing of the past. A great shame, as it really is a fun afternoon watching such a large formation getting airborne and recovering at a Belgian base. Another bites the dust...
















    

Report by Chris Janssens

Lay-out and content by Chris Janssens, 2005 - present