Twelve NATO Allies (Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Spain, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom) have agreed to further expand military aviation training across the Alliance through the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) initiative. This includes the first ever placement of around fifty student pilots in four locations beginning this year, the addition of nine new training campuses, as well as the establishment of a dedicated industry advisory body. The NFTE, a High Visibility Project launched in June 2020 at the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers, is a multinational initiative consisting of a network of training campuses set up for different types of pilots: fighter jet pilots, helicopter and transport pilots, as well as personnel who remotely pilot aircraft.
Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoan? said: “Unity doesn’t just happen, it has to be earned. One way of achieving this is by systematically training together and forging trusting relationships in the process. NATO Flight Training Europe is an excellent example of this. This important multinational effort will help us to break down national silos towards a shared approach to training the next generations of aircrews.”
This initiative will enable adaptable pilot training across Europe, using existing training structures whenever possible. In January 2023, three training sites – in Greece, Hungary and North Macedonia – were added to NFTE project. The 120th Air Training Wing in Kalamata, at Kecskemet Air Base and Air Training Center near Skopje, joined centres in the Czech Republic and Italy on the list of official training sites for the Alliance’s military pilots.
NFTE is not only strengthening the capabilities of Allied air forces but it is also promoting Allied unity.
The NFTE Support Partnership was established in April 2023 with the participation of 10 nations: Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Spain and Türkiye. Through the NFTE Support Partnership, NSPA provides an enduring coordination function to enable shared use of flight training facilities across Europe based on existing facilities and national arrangements. NFTE will reshape the aircrew training landscape in Europe towards common standards, lower training costs and increased interoperability.
