Training of Czech helicopter crews for special operations in Zemunik

The presentation was attended by Chief of Staff of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, Colonel Miroslav Kovač, Commander of the 93^rd Air Force Base Lieutenant Colonel Karol Lučan, Commander of the Special Operations Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Dražen Ressler and representatives of the CAF General Staff, while the Czech Defence Ministry delegation was led by the Deputy Chief of General Staff General Bohuslav Dvorak, the Czech Air Force Commander General Jiri Verner, and Colonel Milan Polak, Defense Attaché of the Embassy of the Czech Republic to Croatia. The presentation was also attended by the U.S. Special Operations Command Europe-SOCEUR team.

The training has been conducted in real terms on Czech Mi 171 SH helicopters, and training support has been provided by the 93^rd Air Force Base as a unit that has been gradually developing into International center for training of helicopter pilots. It is a continuation of good cooperation between Croatian and Czech armed forces, which in the best way was confirmed through the recently implemented First course of joint training of Croatian and Czech aviation advisory team during the pre-deployment training and preparation of members who mentor helicopter squadrons of the Afghan Air Force, all within the NATO “Smart Defence” initiative where countries join their resources and capacities to reduce training costs.

Presentation for the national military delegations presented phases of training, and one of the possible situations of joint operation of air and land components in activities of special operations units. Members of the CAF Special Operations Battalion also participated in the exercise. The aim of the exercise is to harmonize the standard operating procedures and coordination in the preparation and in the immediate implementation of specific tasks in realistic conditions.

“This is an example of how the two air forces with combined assets and strengths achieve the objectives of training standards and operational readiness to carry out its missions and tasks both at the national level and through international activities by using NATO “Smart Defence””, said the Chief of Staff of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, Colonel Kovač.

Czech General Dvořak praised the high potentials of the Air Force Base in Zemunik for implementing the most demanding training in which currently have been involved Czech helicopter crews for special operations, and training and high professionalism of members of the Croatian special forces. “We have shown that by sharing of capacities and achievement of all standards of training it is possible to achieve our goals, but also to offer other partner countries our shared experiences and transfer of knowledge. It is a principle that we promote and that will be more promoted in the future”, General Dvorak said.