Joint Air Combat Training School
| Joint Air Combat Training School | |
|---|---|
| Located near: Ontadi, El Salvador | |
 | |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  El Salvador |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1983 |
| In use | 1983 – present |
The Joint Air Combat Training School (Creeperian: Escuela Conjunta de Entrenamiento de Combate Aéreo, Salisfordian: Scuole Congiunta di Addestramento al Combattimento Aereo) is a month-long advanced aerial combat training exercise held twice a year by El Salvador. It aims to provide realistic air-combat training for military pilots and flight crew members from participating countries.
Organization
To accomplish its goal of providing a realistic air-combat training experience, combat units from El Salvador, Creeperopolis, and Salisford engage in realistic combat scenarios held in the El Salvadoran province of Ontadi. The low population density and large area of Ontadi allow enormous operations to be undertaken.
In a typical scenario, forces are separated into BLUFOR and OPFOR groups and engage in realistic combat scenarios.
BLUFOR is made up of air units from the Creeperian Air Force, the Creeperian Navy and the Salvadoran Air Force. As well as ground and air defense units from the Creeperian Army and Creeperian Air Force.
OPFOR is made up of air units from the Royal Salisfordian Air Force and the Royal Salisfordian Navy. As well as ground and air defense units from the Royal Salisfordian Army
Each force is led by a commander selected from each forces' respective participating units. For two weeks, BLUFOR performs various offensive operations against OPFOR, who simulates a realistic enemy integrated air defense system (IADS). After the end of this 2-week exercise, the objectives of both sides switch and exercises continue from there. Most operations undertaken are Close Air Support (CAS) operations done in conjunction with a side's ground forces. However, the other operations undertaken by the school are air-only and involve a variety of fighter interdiction, attack/strike, air superiority, enemy air defense suppression, airlift, air refueling and reconnaissance missions.
Operations are meticulously recorded and the events of each operation are reconstructed to assess mission effectiveness and to validate any lessons taken from the exercise.
Before an exercise begins, there is a massive planning conference where unit representatives and planning staff develop how each unit will participate in the exercise. All portions of the exercise are designed to be as realistic as possible.
Origin
The Joint Air Combat Training School was formed in 1983. Following the opening stages of the Mara War, the Creeperian Air Force found that the performance of its pilots during the conflict was below expectations. Deciding that it was necessary to improve pilot performance, the Creeperian Air Force proposed the idea for the Joint Air Combat Training School to the governments of El Salvador and Salisford.
The formation of the Joint Air Combat Training School coincided with the introduction of Fourth Generation Fighter Aircraft and the introduction of Beyond Visual Range (BVR) munitions. The lessons learned from the exercises held by the Training School helped mould all three countries' BVR combat doctrines.
Participating countries
Only countries who are invited by the government of El Salvador are allowed to participate in the exercise.
