Inside NFTE: Expanding Allied Flight Training Across Europe and Beyond

In 2020, 10 NATO allies (Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Spain and Türkiye) agreed to expand flight training capabilities across the alliance through the creation of the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) High Visibility Project.

By March 2024, NFTE had completed the first placements of around 50 student pilots in four locations, the addition of nine new training campuses, as well as the establishment of a dedicated industry advisory body.

Now leaders such as Jas Hawker, Principal Officer for NFTE, are looking to educate NATO nations on what NFTE can offer and expand the initiative by adding more allies and training campuses to the network. This October, Jas will be in San Antonio, Texas for IDGA’s Military Flight Training Summit where he intends to raise awareness for NFTE as a resource to bridge industry with NATO alliance Air Forces.

Ahead of the conference, Jas sat down with IDGA to discuss how NFTE is working with the U.S. Air Force, objectives for 2025, and what the future of military flight training holds.