On Thursday, April 3, 2025, the 11th session of the Steering Board of the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) program took place in Cagliari, Sardinia, during which the certification of the 120 Air Training Wing (120ATW) as a Flying Training Center was officially recognized. 120ATW now assumes a key role in training pilots from allied countries, both on T-6A Texan II aircraft (Phase 2) and the advanced M-346A (Phases 3 and 4).
This certification enhances Greece’s international standing in the field of military training, while also integrating the country into NATO’s broader strategic plan for autonomy and sustainability in aircrew training in Europe.
The NFTE program is an innovative Allied initiative aimed at creating a unified, multinational network of training centers that will fully meet the pilot training needs of NATO member states. Instead of countries maintaining fragmented or insufficiently staffed national training centers—which are often not economically viable due to low annual demand—NFTE promotes cooperation, shared use of infrastructure, and the exchange of expertise.
The program includes 13 participating countries, and one of NFTE’s key advantages is the reduction of dependency on U.S.-based training structures, on which many European nations had relied until recently for pilot training. By establishing an effective European training framework, the Alliance’s self-sufficiency is enhanced, the burden is more evenly shared, and NATO pilots are ensured to be well-trained and ready to operate in dynamic and unpredictable environments.
The participation of the 120ATW in NFTE is not only a success for the Hellenic Air Force, but also for Greece as a whole, as it strengthens the country’s role as a strategic pillar of stability and cooperation in the wider region.
