AEROMEDIA
The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)


TTTE Cottesmore ceases its activity

After almost nineteen years of activity, Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE), the multi-natrional training unit based at RAF Cottesmore in the British Midlands, is going to close at the end of March, this year.
Established in July 1980, TTTE was undoubtedly an useful collaborative experience of cooperation between the three participating Nations in the Tornado programme, as well as an effective operational integration of the British, German and Italian Air Forces.
At its peak activity, TTTE had a complement of 1.600 servicemen and 130 civilians employed and it was geared to train about 300 aircrew per year.
The station was organized on a 4 Wing system comprising an Operation Wing, Engineering Wing, Administrative Wing and the Tornado Operational Conversion Unit (TOCU). The TOCU had 4 training squadrons of mixed nationality instructors and a Ground Training Squadron.

In the pictures: RAF's Panavia Tornado of TTTE at MAP '99 air show and English Electric Camberra PR7 WH791, gate-guardian at RAF Cottesmore.

(Aeromedia, March 1999)