Tactical Leadership Programme FC 26-03
Multinational Combat Air Training Returns to Albacete
Albacete, Spain | October 2026
German, Italian and Spanish Eurofighters, Turkish F-16s, French Mirages and Rafales come together in Spain for the Tactical Leadership Programme’s second flying course of 2026, supported by a NATO E-3A AWACS and a US MH-60 helicopter for combat search and rescue training.
The Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) returned to Albacete Air Base in Spain for its second flying course of 2026 (TLP 26-2 was replaced by an Air-centric Personnel Recovery Operatives’ Course), bringing together combat aircraft and support assets from across Europe and the United States for a demanding programme of multinational tactical air training.
Designated Flying Course 2026-03 (FC 26-03), the course began on 17 September, ending on 9 October. Around 600 personnel were expected to be involved, with 34 students set to graduate following the programme, including 22 flight crew members, six intelligence officers and six tactical air traffic controllers.
For aviation enthusiasts, the course offers an opportunity to see a varied collection of front-line combat aircraft operating together from Albacete, with participating air forces contributing to both the Blue and Red Air elements of the exercise.
An International Gathering of Combat Aircraft
The flying element is the centrepiece of FC 26-03, with approximately 32 fighter aircraft planned across the opposing forces. The Blue force comprises 20 aircraft, while a further 12 aircraft will operate in the Red Air role, providing the opposition during the tactical training missions.
Germany, Italy and Spain contributed Eurofighter Typhoons, bringing together aircraft from three operators of the European fighter. The German contingent adds another opportunity to see Luftwaffe Typhoons operating alongside their Italian and Spanish counterparts, while Spain’s own Eurofighters operate from their home base at Albacete.
Turkey is represented by F-16 Fighting Falcons, providing a further fighter type to the multinational mix. Turkish aircraft will participate in both the Blue and Red Air elements, helping create the opposing force required for the course’s increasingly complex scenarios. As well as the more common F-16C, Turkey also sent two F-16D twin Seat F-15D’s to the exercise.
France brings a particularly varied contribution, with Mirage 2000D strike aircraft, Mirage 2000-5 fighters and Marine Rafale combat aircraft participating across the two sides. The presence of these different platforms provides an opportunity to integrate aircraft with differing capabilities into the same tactical environment.
The Mirage 2000D brings its strike-focused capability, while the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale add further fighter capabilities to the exercise. French aircraft will also form part of the Red Air contingent, creating a challenging environment for the crews training to plan and lead complex missions.
Italy and Spain also provided Eurofighters to the opposing force, while Turkish F-16s and French Mirage and Rafale aircraft complete the Red Air line-up. This mixture of aircraft, operators and tactical roles is central to the course’s aim of developing the skills needed to lead multinational air operations.
From the Classroom to Live Flying Missions
Although the course officially began in September, the opening phase was devoted to academic instruction and training in the MACE simulator with flying missions starting on Monday 28 September, with main sorties planned for weekday afternoons.
The programme builds towards the execution of complex composite air operations, bringing together multiple aircraft and crews under a common tactical plan. Participants must develop their ability to plan, brief, lead and execute missions while coordinating with other aircrew and command-and-control elements.
The MACE simulator supports this process by allowing crews and tactical air controllers to rehearse scenarios before moving into the live environment. Advanced communications, including Link 16, help connect the training activity with the wider tactical picture.
The emphasis is not simply on individual aircraft performance. TLP is designed to develop tactical leadership, cooperation and interoperability, enabling crews from different nations to work together effectively in demanding operational scenarios.
NATO E-3A AWACS: The Airborne Command-and-Control Hub
One of the most significant supporting aircraft at FC 26-03 is the NATO E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).
The E-3A provides an airborne surveillance and command-and-control capability, helping build a wider picture of the air situation beyond the view available to individual fighter crews. In a multinational training environment involving dozens of combat aircraft, this broader perspective is an important part of the overall mission.
Working alongside Spanish Air and Space Force command-and-control assets, the AWACS contributes to the coordination of the exercise and supports the training of crews operating in a complex air environment.
Its participation also adds a distinctive support aircraft to the line-up at Albacete. While the fighters provide the most visible element of the flying programme, assets such as the E-3A demonstrate how modern air operations depend on the integration of surveillance, communications and tactical decision-making.
Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk brings combat search and rescue into the exercise
Another important element of FC 26-03 is the participation of a US MH-60 helicopter and its extraction team in combat search and rescue (CSAR) training.
CSAR scenarios focus on the recovery of aircrew isolated in hostile or contested territory. Such missions require close coordination between the recovery helicopter, its specialist personnel and the wider force, with the scenario potentially involving threats to the recovery aircraft as well as the crew being rescued.
The MH-60 contribution introduces a rotary-wing dimension to an exercise otherwise dominated by fast jets. Its role is a reminder that the successful completion of an air operation can depend on recovering personnel as well as achieving the primary mission objectives.
Course at a glance
- Exercise: Tactical Leadership Programme, Flying Course 2026-03 (FC 26-03)
- Location: Albacete Air Base, Spain
- Course dates: 17 September–9 October 2026
- Start of live flying: 28 September 2026
- Participating fighter nations: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey
- Principal fighter types: Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 Fighting Falcon, Mirage 2000D, Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale
- Key support aircraft: NATO E-3A AWACS, Spanish MQ-9 Predator B, Spanish C295 and US MH-60
- Additional capabilities: Electronic warfare, ground-based air defence and combat search and rescue training
