The last flight lesson of TLP course 2025 took place from November 6 to 28 at Los Llanos Air Base, Albacete, a key installation of the Air and Space Force. The edition, identified as Flying Course 2025-04, once again confirmed the role of the Tactical Leadership Program as Europe’s leading center for advanced tactical training for combat crews.
More than 550 military personnel and more than 25 combat aircraft participated in a multinational deployment integrating air assets, ground systems and synthetic capabilities in highly operationally demanding scenarios. All this without yet revealing the real scope of the developments which have marked this journey.
Unprecedented multinational deployment in the TLP course
He TLP course Germany, France, Italy and Spain participated as permanent members of the program, to which Romania and Turkey joined as invited nations. This combination made it possible to recreate a realistic aerial environment, representative of allied operations in high intensity scenarios.
Among the fighters deployed, the German Tornado, the French Mirage 2000D and 2000-5, the Italian and Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon, as well as the F-18 Hornet of the Air and Space Force and the AV-8B Harrier II of the Spanish Navy stand out. Turkey and Romania supplied their F-16 Fighting Falcons, expanding platform diversity.
Support aircraft and integrated air control
The course also incorporated essential support assets for modern operations. A NATO AWACS aircraft assumed control and surveillance of the airspace, while transport aircraft such as the Italian C-27J and the Spanish C-295 guaranteed logistical mobility throughout the exercise.
Also participating were a German Jamkite electronic warfare aircraft, a Royal Air Force MQ-9 Predator unmanned system and Spanish NH-90 helicopters intended for combat, evacuation and search and rescue missions, operating both in Albacete and at the San Javier base.
Complete training: aerial, terrestrial and synthetic environment
He TLP course It stands out once again for its global approach to modern air combat. The NASAMS, SKYGUARD and Mistral air defense systems were deployed on the ground, as well as the French ARPEGE threat simulator, which provided training in the interaction between air forces and anti-aircraft defenses.
One of the pillars of the course was the integration of fourth and fifth generation aircraft, a major challenge for European air forces. This objective has been reinforced by the use of the Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) concept, which combines real flights with advanced simulations and artificially generated scenarios.
Technical interoperability and multinational maintenance
The program included Aircraft Cross Service (ACS) sessions, during which maintenance personnel from different countries worked together on allied aircraft. These activities strengthen technical, doctrinal and logistical interoperability, an essential aspect of combined operations.
The use of synthetic capabilities also made it possible to optimize resources, reduce operating costs and increase the complexity of scenarios without increasing risks, thus consolidating the TLP course as a reference in terms of training innovation.
Albacete, strategic showcase of European air power
During the last week of the course, the Distinguished Visitors Day and the Media Day took place, days during which the authorities, journalists and accredited photographers were able to observe first-hand the progress of the air missions, as well as the coordinated takeoffs and landings of the different fighters.
In this context, the Commander of the Tactical Leadership Program, Colonel César Acebes Puertas, formalized the incorporation of Sweden as a new member of the program. Although the Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighters will be operationally integrated from the 2026-4 academic year, this membership represents a first-level strategic reinforcement.
More than four decades of training airline leaders
With more than forty years of history, the TLP course It has established itself as the reference European tactical laboratory for NATO and its allies. Its transfer to Albacete allowed it to expand its capabilities, increase available airspace and accommodate larger and more complex exercises.
The closing of the last TLP course 2025 not only leaves a very positive operational assessment, but also confirms the constant evolution of the program in the face of an increasingly demanding security environment, where preparation, interoperability and flexibility are decisive factors.
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