Page 69 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)
P. 69
THE FRENCH years. He previously flew the Super
Étendard and Rafale M. Approximately
CONNECTION five foreign students complete training
at Meridian every year, with three to
four international instructors on the
staff at any given time. The relationship
Coalition partnerships on the battlefield permeates through operations on the
filter down into training command. Not front line. Indeed, ‘Chico’ recounts how
only does TRAWING ONE host students he once buddy-refueled from a US
from Italy, France and the UK, but there Navy Super Hornet and that mutual
are international instructors on staff, understanding and joint co-operation
too. Currently, there are three foreign is aided greatly by the grass roots level
instructors in the cadre of VT-7 and work at Meridian: ‘All French carrier strike
VT-9. Two French pilots fly with VT-7, pilots go through Meridian for training
while one British pilot teaches at VT-9. Lt in the T-45C,’ he says. ‘Here, they earn
‘Chico’ is from the French Navy (Marine their initial carrier qualifications [CQs] in
Nationale) and is on exchange for two addition to their wings.’
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