EDA helicopter COMAO course completed

The European Defence Agency’s (EDA's) second helicopter Composite Air Operations (COMAO) planning course has successfully completed at Royal Air Force (RAF) base Linton-on-Ouse, the EDA announced on 20 November.

EDA's helicopter courses aim to provide member states with a framework to develop, consolidate and share best practices, in order to meet the challenges of helicopter operations on the modern battlefield.

The course was undertaken by trainees from Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the UK. The objective of the course was to increase interoperability and the common understanding of complex mission planning in a multinational environment.

The course involved support and attack helicopters along with fast-jet, ISTAR, air transport and ground force units.

The course commenced with a theoretical part, including detailed information on COMAO task, target, threat and tactics mission planning as well as standard rotary tactics employed to counter a range of different threats. Participants also examined the tactics, techniques and procedures of the attack helicopters and fast-jet capabilities in both the blue and red air role delivered by 100 Sqn RAF.

The second part of the course was dedicated to the practical mission planning for a multi-national joint helicopter force which had to operate in given evolving political and military scenarios.

The next EDA COMAO course is scheduled for 2018.