Presentation of joint Croatian-Czech Air Advisory Team training

The presentation was attended by Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović, Assistant Minister Dragan Lozančić, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić, First Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Czech Republic Armed Forces, Major General Miroslav Žižka, Commander of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, Brigadier General Dražen Šćuri, representatives of the military and diplomatic corps in the Republic of Croatia, and other guests from the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces and allied countries.

The official program began with the presentation of the preparations of the Air Advisory Team for the upcoming training task, followed by a presentation about the training, held by the course commander, Croatian Col. Michael Križanec. He stressed that the air crews and technicians participate in the pre-deployment training and preparation for leaving to ISAF mission in Afghanistan, where they will be deployed as 5^th AAT – Air Advisory Team. The first part of the training on the flight simulator was implemented in Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Second part being conducted from 30 April to 17 May in 93^rd Air Force Base in Croatia is focused on flight tasks on Mi-171 Sh helicopters.

In a statement to the media after the presentation, Minister Kotromanović stressed that training is an important example of cooperation between the two countries within NATO Smart Defence initiative. We joined the assets and capacities, and we do a great job together, the Minister said, adding that for next courses of the same type, which are already in preparation, other partner countries have shown interest as well. This is a policy that will be more pronounced in the future, the Minister concluded.

Czech Major General Miroslav Žižka designated presented cooperation between the Croatian and Czech Air Force as a very important step forward in the frame of NATO Smart Defence, but also regarding Polling and Sharing promoted by the European Union. The course itself was very well prepared, which was clearly visible during the presentation, and 93^rd Air Force Base and its surroundings have all the necessary conditions for the implementation of the training, First Deputy Chief of Armed Forces of the Czech Republic said.