The Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) is currently engaged, until October 31st, in the European Tactical Airlift Programme – Course (ETAP-C), taking place at Air Base No. 11, in Beja.

This exercise aims to train and enhance the capabilities of the participating aircrews, particularly in the field of tactical air transport. It enables TACP operators to maintain their qualifications, test procedures, validate doctrine, and strengthen their interoperability with different participating nations in complex operational scenarios.

The TACP represents a highly specialized capability within the Portuguese Air Force, responsible for integrating air power in support of ground forces. Its main mission is to establish the link between ground maneuver elements and air assets in combat operations, ensuring the effectiveness and safety of air-delivered weapons employed in close proximity to friendly forces — a fundamental component of joint military operations.

These service members are qualified as Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) and Combat Controllers (CCT) — both extremely demanding qualifications requiring rigorous technical, tactical, and physical training. The JTAC is an operator authorized to control air strikes in direct support of ground forces, while the CCT is primarily responsible for selecting, preparing, and operating assault landing zones — both day and night — in remote, permissive, and non-permissive environments.

The capabilities provided by a CCT offer greater flexibility and operational autonomy to supported ground units. Their ability to establish, mark, and control assault landing zones in remote areas ensures the reinforcement of troops and weaponry, logistical support, or even the evacuation of wounded personnel and civilians from conflict zones. Moreover, their skills are essential in humanitarian assistance missions, particularly during military responses to natural disasters, where their capacity to operate under extreme conditions, establish communications, and coordinate air assets is crucial for mission success and the preservation of human life.

Through the dual qualifications of its operators as JTACs and CCTs, the TACP covers the full spectrum of missions typical of Special Operations Air-Land Integration (SOALI) teams, ensuring the ability to support both conventional and Special Operations Forces in the execution of their missions.

The TACP thus stands as a distinct and unique capability within the Portuguese Armed Forces, indispensable for the seamless integration of air power and ground operations