Foto: HRZ / M. Karačić

VAdm Colin Kilrain visits Barracks at Zemunik

NATO Special Operations Headquarters Commander (NSHQ) Vice admiral  Colin Kilrain on 21 May  2019 visited the Barracks “Pukovnik Mirko Vukušić” at Zemunik, which will house the Multinational Special Aviation Program (MSAP). His host was the Commander of the Croatian Special Forces Command Brigadier General Perica Turalija.

VAdm Kilrain met with the Director of MSAP Lieutenant Colonel  Tomislav Pušnik, and was welcomed by the Commander of the Croatian Air Force Training Centre Colonel Goran Huljev and Lieutenant Colonel Damir Barišić od the 93rd Croatian Air Force.
  
Appreciating the Vice admiral for his visit Lt. Col. Pušnik said the MSAP was a result of joint efforts of  Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia as host country to organise and administer classroom and hands-on flight training for future SOATU helicopter crews and special forces teams. 

„We want to create conditions for joint training for members of armed forces of several countries at one spot, to contribute to the training quality and standardisation. Interoperability and cohesion of helicopter crews and teams is of crucial importance for joint practice activities as well as in real.life situations with the deployment of SOATU teams”, said the MSAP Director. 

The Director of MSAP said that the Centre was envisaged to welcome members from other NATO nations and to grow into a centre of excellence. 

Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Đelagić, the Head of the Readiness and Evaliation Section of the Operations Department of the Croatian Air Force delivered a presentation on the ongoing activities related to the Training Centre’s organisation and structure, the tasks assigned to the member countries and the training activities timeline. 

VAdm Kilrain stated his appreciation for the project which is of importance for overall NATO and underlined the need for co-operation and exchange of experiences with the rest of the member nations. 

He also visited the facilities earmarked for accomodation of the personnel of the MSAP and trainees. 

The visit took place 10 days after the first MSAP Conference held in the Base at Zemunik, electing the Director and the chairman of the International Executive Board and drafting the documents adopted by the MEB, that are establishing the conditions for the launch of the MSAP. 

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