The European Tactical Airlift Programme – Course (ETAP-C) began last Sunday, october 19, and will run until october 31 at Air Base No. 11 in Beja. 

In-processing procedures and briefings done, Monday afternoon, october 20, marked the start of flying activities. Over the course of two weeks, 422 military personnel from seven different nations will fly on Portugal’s skies. 

Organized by the Portuguese Air Force, this is the fourth ETAP-C edition taking place in 2025. In this version of the exercise — the Course — the objective is to provide participating crews with a comprehensive airlift tactics program designed to enhance tactical knowledge, increase their ability to operate in complex scenarios, and improve survivability in hostile operational environments. 

Throughout the course, crews will be evaluated on missions such as cargo and paratrooper drops, support to ground and special operations forces, and medical evacuations. 

This exercise is part of the European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETAC) project, which aims to strengthen Europe’s operational airlift response capability in crisis situations.