TLP 2008-5; Spanish Navy Harriers are back after three years


The Tactical Leadership Programme was founded in the late 19seventies. Its purpose was to join allied forces and train together in joint operations, but also to generate leaders for challenging multinational air defence and air strike missions. The TLP is a standalone organization based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the air forces of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. During the years other nations have been invited as guests to participate.
The first TLP ever was held at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, in January 1978, but this first edition was strictly academic. The TLP moved to Jever AB, Germany, in September 1979 and the academic course was extended with a flying phase. When the TLP left Jever in 1988, 71 courses were held there and over 1900 aircrews were trained. Florennes AB in Belgium was appointed as the new homebase for the TLP, and hosted its first TLP in March 1989. The TLP stayed at Florennes until July 2009, when the exercise moved to Albacete, Spain, where weather conditions are far better and the aircrews have a large airspace structure to their usage. 

TLP 2008-5
The first participants of TLP 2008-5 arrived on Friday 3 October and the last participants departed on Friday 31 October. This autumn TLP had to do without the German Air Force but saw some nice participants. Perhaps the most interesting were the Spanish Navy Harriers, but French and Spanish Mirage F.1s were also not to be despised. The French had two Mirage F.1s from Reims Air Base at Florennes, two Mirage 2000s participated from their home-base Cambrai. The Hellenic Air Force came with four F-16Cs from Nea Anchialos Air Base. Six Italians aircraft were present during this TLP; 4 AMXs from Istrana and two EF2000s from Grosetto. A large Spanish delegation with three EF-18As from Torrejòn, five F/A-18As from Gando Air Base, two Mirage F.1s from Albacete Air Base and from the Spanish Navy three EAV-8B+s from Rota Air Base in the South of Spain were present. The Royal Air Force participated with two Tornado GR4s and four Tornado F3s. And finally, the USAF was at Florennes with three F-16Cs from Aviano.

The Participants
French Air Force with Mirage F.1CR from ER 02.033
Hellenic Air Force with F-16C from 330 Mira
Italian Air Force with AMX from 51 Stormo and EF2000 from 4 Stormo
Royal Air Force with Tornado GR.4 from 13 Sqn. and Tornado F.3 from 43 and 111 Sqn.
Spanish Air Force with EF-18A from Ala 12, F/A-18A from Ala 46 and Mirage F.1M from Ala 14
Spanish Navy with EAV-8B+ from Essla 009
USAF with F-16C from 510th FS