European Spartan 2019 C-27J exercise kicks off

Five European C-27J Spartan military aircraft operators are participating in the fourth edition of the European Spartan exercise at Otopeni airbase in Romania, the European Defence Agency (EDA) announced on 13 May.

The exercise, taking place from 13-24 May, aims to increase interoperability among European C27J Spartan operators: Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia and Romania. It is organised under the European Air Transport Fleet partnership signed in 2011 by 20 EDA Member States.

Designed by EDA and hosted by the Romanian Air Force, the event aims to promote aircraft user type approaches to harmonise tactics, techniques and procedures as well as to develop more cost-effective solutions to operate and sustain the C27J.

The exercise will provide air crews with academic and flight training and enable ground crew to develop procedures to eventually allow them to perform cross maintenance on each other’s aircraft. 

The C-27J Spartan aircraft can perform tactical missions in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, providing direct air transport, day and night.

This flying event was developed in the framework of the C-27J cooperation concept launched in 2015 by EDA.