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EDA exercise Hot Blade 2013

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  • EDA exercise Hot Blade 2013

    According to the September issue of Jane's IDR the Air Corps was to send AW139s to participate in this year's exercise in Portugal, however it states "Ireland pulled it's planned Agusta Westland AW139 deployment at the last minute". Does anyone know if this is correct, if so. it sems a pity as there was good participation by Austria, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, and Portugal, with observers from many countries, and mentors from Britain and Sweden.

    If it is true maybe it is a good sign for the future.
    Last edited by ias; 25 September 2013, 22:44.

  • #2
    Shame, looks exactly like the sort of exercises the AC should be participating in.

    Hopefully they can participate next year.

    Comment


    • #3
      Wouldn't bet on it! Last minute is pretty accurate though. In fact a minute is being overly generous. In fact you know the bit in Armageddon when they were trying to disarm the nuclear weapon with 30 secs on the clock - that's more realistic.

      Comment


      • #4
        Oh PH do tell....... Love a good rumour , DOD penny pinching or peace and neutrality and nasty EDA ... ????

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Jack Booted Man View Post
          Oh PH do tell....... Love a good rumour , DOD penny pinching or peace and neutrality and nasty EDA ... ????
          No reason apparently given JBM just a DoD no at the eleventh hour. At least the helicopters weren't at the Portugese border! No record of a Government or Ministerial decision either as far as I can see so probably didn't get that far.

          Forgive me if I'm not that enthused about the new White Paper and the potential for AC & NS assets to serve overseas following this episode. This was a perfect entry level EX for the AC to be involved in with tailormade scenarios for participating nations depending on their aircraft and crews capabilities.


          BTW EDA are a big player now on the European scene as they seek to get European militaries to pool resources. Initial soundbites from Ireland to EDA were good so I think there was confusion at the last minute withdrawal. Really promising opportunity - shame really...! Suppose there's always next year.......!

          Last edited by Pure Hover; 28 September 2013, 20:24.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Pure Hover View Post
            No reason apparently given JBM just a DoD no at the eleventh hour. At least the helicopters weren't at the Portugese border! No record of a Government or Ministerial decision either as far as I can see so probably didn't get that far.

            Forgive me if I'm not that enthused about the new White Paper and the potential for AC & NS assets to serve overseas following this episode. This was a perfect entry level EX for the AC to be involved in with tailormade scenarios for participating nations depending on their aircraft and crews capabilities.


            BTW EDA are a big player now on the European scene as they seek to get European militaries to pool resources. Initial soundbites from Ireland to EDA were good so I think there was confusion at the last minute withdrawal. Really promising opportunity - shame really...! Suppose there's always next year.......!

            http://www.eda.europa.eu/info-hub/ne...se-in-portugal
            Id say it was down to cost, the same reason 2 ISTAR Coy didn't take part in any Austro-German battlegroup exercise in Germany last year.

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            • #7
              Pics on Flickr

              Starting on 17 July 2013, Portugal hosts the multinational helicopter exercise HOT BLADE 2013 (HB13) at Ovar Military Airfield, near Porto. More than 700 military personnel, 26 helicopters and seven fixed wing aircraft from Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal participate in the exercise, which lasts until 31 July 2013. HB13 is part of the European Defence Agency's Helicopter Training Programme.
              Last edited by Dogwatch; 29 September 2013, 12:44.

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              • #8


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                Hot Blade 2018 kicks off with focus on interoperability
                Beja Airbase, Portugal - 08 May, 2018

                HOT BLADE 2018, the 12th helicopter exercise organised under the umbrella of the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), kicked off yesterday 7th May at Beja airbase in Portugal. It will run until 24 May and involve a total of 29 air assets and crews from six countries: Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and the Netherlands. Representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy will also take part as observers. A Distinguished Visitors Day (DVD) will take place on 22 May.

                HOT BLADE 2018 will allow crews from 21 helicopters and 8 fixed wing assets (including 6 Portuguese F-16 fighters), ground troops, EW simulator/emulators operators and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to practice operations in a hot, high and dusty environment replicating the challenging conditions that participants’ forces are expected to encounter when deploying to a theatre of operation.

                The exercise’s main focus is on enhancing interoperability at the tactical level between helicopter units by using the Composite Air Operations (COMAO) concept in a combined, joint, realistic and challenging environment.

                It is the 4th time that the exercise is hosted by the Portuguese Air Force, under EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), following three earlier successful editions that took place between 2012 and 2014. This year, the Hot Blade 2018 exercise will be carried out in the area surrounding Beja Air Force Base, located in the Southern part of Portugal.

                The use of EDA HEP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the application of best practices gathered during the 11 previous helicopter exercises led by the EDA and the availability on location of a Mentor Team will support the standardisation of planning processes and helicopter tactical procedures amongst participating crews.

                This year’s training is focussed on missions in a dusty, hot and mountainous environment. To ensure the maximum levels of flight safety, scheduled activities will follow a progressive approach. Tactical training (e.g. formation flights, NVG, tactical formation) will be performed during the first days, while national training requirements enabling the performance of demanding day and night Composite Air Operation (COMAO) missions will be addressed during the last days of the exercise.


                More information:
                EDA Helicopter Initiatives Project Page
                Factsheet Exercice HOT BLADE 2018

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                • #9
                  As an aside, seeing Germany involved in this, did someone in their Defence Department decide to Troll the UK by giving the NH 90's the class name "Sealion"?

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                  • #10


                    HOT BLADE 2018 improved joint and combined helicopter training
                    Beja Airbase, Portugal - 15 June, 2018

                    Helicopter training exercise HOT BLADE 2018, organised in May under the European Defence Agency’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) and hosted by the Portuguese Air Force at Beja airbase, was officially closed on 23 May by the Director of the Portuguese Air Operations, Brigadier General Rui de Freitas and José Pablo Romera, EDA Project Officer Rotary Wing.

                    With 29 air assets flying a total of more than 550 hours and around 1,200 military participants, the exercise (the 12th held under the HEP umbrella) demonstrated once again the immense added value of collaborative multinational training for participating States’ aircrews, maintenance staff, troops and support personnel under very demanding (hot, dusty, mountainous) conditions.

                    Six Member States (Belgium, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Slovenia and Portugal) deployed assets, including 21 helicopters of 7 different types (A-109, AS-532, EH-101, CH-47, MI-17, NH-90, SA-316). The first week included a complete day of briefings covering flight safety, expected battle rhythm, host nation support, and a helicopter academics session to refresh COMAO Mission Planning procedures. This theoretical element was followed by operational briefings designed to familiarise aircrews with Beja airbase, rehearse emergency procedures with firefighters and Special Operations Forces (SOF), get familiar with the different helicopter types and ensure high safety levels. The first week was completed with individual trainings, helicopter operations flown by day and by night, fighter evasion missions carried out with Portuguese F-16 fighter jets and helicopter firing drills. All participating Member States were able to reach their national training objectives.

                    During the second week, flying crews performed complex missions in a demanding but realistic environment, making full use of the dusty and mountainous surroundings and shooting ranges. As the exercise advanced, the multinational crews conducted ever more complex coalition level trainings culminating in the planning and execution of several Composite Air Operation (COMAO) missions. These covered a spectrum of advanced helicopter manoeuvre tactics including a large formation of helicopters with embarked troops, integration of Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) teams and paratroopers jumping from a Mi-17 helicopter and a C-295 aircraft, all set against complex threats such as SA-8 SAM, missiles and F-16 fighter jets.

                    Six instructors from Austria, Germany, Sweden and the UK, previously trained in EDA’s Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC), formed the HOT BLADE 2018 Mentor Team. It supported the multinational crews in the preparation and execution of the COMAO missions and identified valuable Lessons Learned to be applied in future exercises. Other lessons will be drawn from a more in-depth analysis of the exercise results which is currently underway.

                    The experience of planning, preparing and flying together in combined and joint missions is a critical requirement for maintaining operational readiness at a realistic level. With most nations facing budgetary constraints, such level of advanced training is almost impossible to achieve on a national basis. In addition to the cost benefits, the exercise also considerably improves interoperability which has become the trademark of the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) and which was also underlined by the Exercise Director in his closing remarks: “Together we are stronger”.
                    HOT BLADE 2018 proved to be another important milestone on the way to meeting the HEP’s objective, namely to continuously improve Europe’s operational helicopter capability. The next ‘Blade’ exercise is scheduled to take place in the Czech Republic in May 2019.

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                    • #11
                      I think somebody realised that green painted executive helicopters would struggle to cope with many of the scenarios described in that exercise. The AW139s are not deployable in their present form so there's very little point in doing the training.

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                      • #12
                        while the 139 can carry a 105 underslung, ammo, crew etc etc. It will not carry it any meaningful distance

                        Edited
                        Last edited by DeV; 20 June 2018, 00:03.

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                        • #13
                          Shouldve sent them over and broke the sh!t out of them and shipped them back on a flatbed saying - look, not a military helicopter.
                          "He is an enemy officer taken in battle and entitled to fair treatment."
                          "No, sir. He's a sergeant, and they don't deserve no respect at all, sir. I should know. They're cunning and artful, if they're any good. I wouldn't mind if he was an officer, sir. But sergeants are clever."

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by morpheus View Post
                            Shouldve sent them over and broke the sh!t out of them and shipped them back on a flatbed saying - look, not a military helicopter.
                            Sadly I think the response would be "we don't care and now you broke them..."

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Sparky42 View Post
                              Sadly I think the response would be "we don't care and now you broke them..."
                              if they have no military role, and they stop having to be crewed, maintained and have spares bought for them - all coming out of the Defence budget - would that be a bad thing?

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