Albacete, Spain – 30 May 2025
The 2025 edition of the Air-centric Personnel Recovery Operatives’ Course (APROC) concluded on 30 May at the Spanish Air Force’s Albacete Airbase, marking another major step in strengthening Europe’s joint personnel recovery capabilities.
Now in its seventh edition—and the fourth to be held at a fixed location under the Host Nation/Framework Nation model—APROC has matured into the premier live training course for Personnel Recovery (PR) Task Forces across NATO and partner nations.
From 19 to 30 May, Albacete became a hub of multinational cooperation, with over 550 military personnel from 14 countries taking part as Training Audience members, support staff, or observers. The Spanish Air Force (ESP), serving as Host Nation, alongside the Belgian Air Force (BEL) as Framework Nation, coordinated with the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) and the local ALA-14 airbase to deliver this complex and high-intensity training.
An International Line-up of Cutting-Edge Assets
Participating nations, including Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Romania, deployed an impressive array of aircraft and helicopters tailored to PR operations. Among them:
- Recovery Vehicles: CH-53 (DEU), H225M Caracal & NH90 (FRA), HH-101 (ITA), and NH-90 (ESP)
- Fixed-Wing RESCORT: EF-2000 (ESP & ITA)
- Rotary-Wing RESCORT: AS555AN Fennec (FRA), IAR-330 (ROU)
- ISR & Command Support: MQ-9 Reaper (ESP) and CAEW (ITA)
Notably, this edition leveraged real-time data streaming capabilities from both the MQ-9 Reaper and CAEW aircraft, significantly enhancing the tactical decision-making process of the APROC staff during live missions.
On-the-Ground Training Excellence
Extraction Forces teams from Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Romania played a key role in the ground training phase. Germany further enriched the exercise by providing a medical training coordinator, enabling the simulation of complex casualty care scenarios. Spain contributed moulage specialists and tactical medical personnel, whose efforts added critical realism to the training.
Crews also practiced fast rope insertion techniques, essential in non-permissive PR environments. Across seven flying days, 21 missions within three PR Task Forces were conducted, yielding 147 sorties and over 285 flight hours.
Expanding Realism: LEGAD Integration and Reintegration Focus
A major innovation in APROC 2025 was the integration of a LEGAD (Legal Advisor) into the Personnel Recovery Task Force (PRTF) structure. This addition provided a dedicated legal advisory capability within the planning and execution process, helping participants understand the legal frameworks and constraints surrounding PR missions. By training LEGADs in realistic scenarios, APROC is advancing a holistic approach to PR, ensuring that tactical decisions are legally sound and operationally effective.
Since 2022, the course has also included Reintegration PR debriefing training for SERE Instructors, Psychologists, Team Leaders, and Intelligence staff, based on real-life ISOP (Isolated Personnel) scenarios. APROC 2025 continued this evolution by reinforcing the dedicated Extraction Forces track, launched in 2024, which combines extended academic and field training for ground recovery teams.
A Legacy of Interoperability and Readiness
As the direct successor of the CJPRSC and CJCSARSC, APROC remains Europe’s only live course entirely focused on Personnel Recovery. Its mission is to qualify Rescue Mission Commanders (RMCs) and train aircrews and Extraction Forces in NATO-agreed Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), guided by the “4T” model: Task, Target, Threats, and Tactics.
Building a Capable, Unified Force
APROC 2025 once again demonstrated the value of joint, interoperable training in preparing allied nations to respond to complex personnel recovery missions. As geopolitical landscapes evolve and operational environments grow more demanding, APROC stands as a vital pillar in the preparation of Europe’s armed forces for future missions—resilient, united, and ready.
