Air Force: Base Beja (BA 11) discarded for the European Center for training.
Sintra should welcome the European center for helicopter training. Base Aérea 11, in Beja, discarded despite "all the necessary conditions”, according to CEMFA, but "Sintra because it is closer to the capital”.
A Air Base (BA) 1, based in Sintra, It was candidatada infrastructure Portugal and the Air Force, Ã European Defense Agency (EDA), European defense agency, to receive the Multinational Helicopter Training Center (MHTC), the European center training helicopters.
"The decision should be known by the end of this year and is a process that has to earn the consensus of European partners. Portugal was the only country that submitted application ", justified today in Beja, General Teixeira Roll, Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CEMFA).
General CEMFA spoke to reporters on the Hot Blade margin 2018, a multinational exercise that takes place at the Air Base (BA) 11, from last day 9 and ending tomorrow, under the supervision of EDA, with the participation of 1200 military and 29 aircraft from six countries, that today attended Defense Minister, Azeredo Lopes.
General Teixeira Roll, It was ambiguous in the response on the application Sintra (BA1) and not Beja (BA11). "Sintra because it is closest to the capital and logistical reasons and because in the future the helicopters (EH 101 Merlin parked na BA5 no Montijo) there should be placed ", but when asked to comment the Beja option for this exercise CEMFA explained that "has all the necessary conditions to receive this type of exercise, the available area, characteristics of the terrain and climate ", finished.
Roll Teixeira added that after the decision, "we will start building the center, for in 2021 have ready initial operational capability and the final the following year ", explaining that it is a center "with new areas and very different from existing in England", concluded.
Talking about the MHTC, Defense Minister explained that Portugal "for over a year and a half has shown willingness to accept this center", when asked why the choice of Sintra, Azeredo Lopes, He explained that "did not look like an airman nor am Air Force, They can and should question the General CEMFA ", rejecting any responsibility of the Government
Defense Minister, watched the operations of heliborne forces of what is the largest exercise of Europe, mark where the military presence of Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands and Slovenia and observers from several European and world countries like Timor-Leste, Guinea Bissau, Russia, Spain and China.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
