TLP Tactical Leadership Program 2 - Belgium 2005

The Alied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) Tactical Leadership Program (TLP) was born out of the desire of the air forces of Central Europe to improve their tactics. There was also a strong desire to develop new tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs). The improvement of multi-national air operations was an important motive.

With this in mind, TLP was founded in January 1978 at the German airbase Furstenfeldbruck by Belgium, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Initially, seminars of 2 weeks were organized where students from the countries discussed NATO TTPs. In September 1979, TLP moved to Jever in Northern Germany. There, for the first time, a flying phase was introduced to the course. The course was extended to 4 weeks. TLP remained in Jever until December 1988. By that time TLP had organized about 71 flying courses with more than 2000 NATO graduates.

In March 1989 TLP moved to Florennes Air Base in Belgium where two new departments, Academics and Concepts & Doctrines, were added. The staff was extended with a French liaison officer. TLP was extended with Denmark and Italy in January 1996. Spain was added in 2002. Canada withdrew from TLP in 1997 due to the withdrawal of the Canadian Air Force from Germany, but retained a liaison officer on the TLP Staff.

In January 2002, TLP became a unit "in support of SHAPE". This meant that SHAPE was included in the MOU which changed the name of TLP to "Allied Commando Operations Tactical Leadership Program", or ACO TLP.

TLP had in the course of 2000 more and more difficulties in finding suitable space to carry out training. The European airspace became more and more crowded with as a result less space for a military flying program. This, coupled with the bad weather at Florennes and no possibilities for night flying, led in July 2009 to the move of TLP to Albacete Air Base in Spain. During the establishment of TLP Spain, Canada withdrew completely and Greece and France became full MOU members. The first course in Albacete started on 4 October 2009 (source Wikipedia).