Yesterday marked the official start of the multinational exercises RealThaw and HotBlade 2024, at Air Base 11, in Beja, where the aircraft involved in this exercise will be operating.

The Opening Ceremony was the moment that marked the start of the exercises with the flags of the 12 nations being raised. The Air Commander, Lieutenant-General António Branco, presided over the ceremony and addressed some words to the participants, praising the opportunity that these contexts provide for joint and combined training, challenging readiness and effectiveness in missions, and the natural sharing of knowledge and experiences at a time when the international panorama increasingly calls for mutual help.

During the day there was also space for the usual briefings, where participants are informed of the main information and details for the exercise days.

Between May 22nd and June 5th, Air Base 11, in Beja, will be the stage for these two multinational exercises that will involve more than 30 air assets and close to 800 military personnel from European countries.

In a complex environment in which they can train techniques, tactics and procedures, the objective is to increase the interoperability of operations, preparing them for theaters of conflict and humanitarian support missions.