APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090014-1
attended by selected majors and lieutenant colonels. Selected staff school graduates may attend a 7-month joint staff course at the Superior National Defense Studies Center (CESEDEN). A 4-month advanced course at CESEDEN is open for selected air force generals.
Permanent career officers graduate from the General Air Academy at San Javier Airbase, near Cartagena. Here cadets undergo 4 years of professional training to prepare them for the flying service, ground service, and administrative service. Academic courses are identical for all students for the first 2 years. In the third year, flight and ground service cadets take the same courses, which are technically and militarily oriented. During the fourth year there is considerable divergence to permit flying training for flight cadets and the study of applicable subjects for ground service cadets. Students preparing for the administrative service adhere to a different curriculum during the last 2 years, concentrating primarily on commercial mathematics, accounting, economics, clothing technology, the English language, and several law specialties.
Flying training is conducted for flying service cadets throughout their 4 years at the academy. The first year consists of 40 hours of initial flying in Bucker BU-131 primary trainers, including formation flying, initial aerobatics, and other visual contact flying. The second year is devoted to observer flying training in AISA I-115 and JU-52 aircraft with emphasis on map reading, target identification, photographic reconnaissance, and navigation. During the third year additional formation flying and instrument training are afforded, and cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants. Students continue their academic training during their fourth year and also complete their basic flying training at the academy in either the HA-200 jet trainer or the T-6 Texan prop trainer, following which they receive their wings and are promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. From the academy these officer pilots proceed for advanced training either to the Jet Flying School at Talavera la Real Airbase, near Badajoz, where they fly the SF-5B Freedom Fighter, or to the Multiengine Flying School at Matacan Airbase, where they fly C-47, Beechcraft Baron, and Piper Navajo trainers, with major emphasis on instrument training. Upon completion of their advanced training, pilots are assigned to squadrons where they continue to receive operational training in squadron aircraft.
While individual pilot training is generally considered good, unit training is relatively weak. The air force has suffered from the lack of large-scale practical exercises with ground and naval forces, and it has not benefited measurably from joint exercises with the Portuguese Air Force. Although advertised as combined air defense exercises, the joint exercises have resulted in little more than cross-country flights. Spanish pilots and EW/GCI personnel have worked with the French Air Force on an exchange basis in joint air defense exercises in the past. Spanish pilot and ground personnel have had the benefit of and continue to receive training assistance provided by US instructors and advisors, and they can be expected to improve their respective capabilities in regular exercises with US aircraft operating in or near Spain.
The University Air Militia, composed of flying and non-flying students in various universities, corresponds to the US Air Force Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) and provides both reserve officers and noncommissioned officers. Under this program selected university students attend two summer camp training periods during their university years. After graduation they serve 4 months as second lieutenants. The majority are engineer, medical, supply, and legal officers, who, although they do not remain on active duty after their required 4-month tour, are retained as members of the reserve force for life. Promotions may be obtained only by returning to active duty for a 6-month period. These tours are voluntary and must be separated by periods of at least 10 years. The rank of major is the highest attainable under this program. Additional reserve pilots are obtained under a program whereby selected individuals attend flying school and serve as enlisted men. Upon completion of their flying training they must request and complete a 4-year active duty tour as flying sergeants to qualify for advancement. A second 4-year tour must then be requested for which those selected are promoted to second lieutenant. Of this group, a select few are permitted to stay on as regular officers. The remainder return to reserve status and may obtain promotion only by returning to active duty for the prescribed 6-month period.
Additional reserves include both retired officers and regulars who have asked relief from active duty to pursue a civilian occupation. They are carried as supernumeraries by the air force and can remain in this status for 10 years or a maximum of 12 with active duty periods. A supernumerary may be promoted along with his active duty contemporaries during the first 3 years, after which he is frozen in rank. After 12 years a supernumerary must return to active duty or be permanently retired.
Reserve training for those who qualify and request it is, therefore, conducted on an individual rather than an organized basis. This unorganized force is assigned to the headquarters rolls of air region in which the members reside. Reservists having the most recent active duty experience would be recalled in the event of mobilization, since they would initially constitute the greatest reserve asset to the air force.
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090014-1
