NATO SAT Course completed at the Italian Joint Air Operations School

Specialists from the educational and organizational division of the Italian Joint Air Operations School are acquiring new skills aligned with NATO standards, aimed at analyzing, designing and applying a systems-based approach to the development of relevant, efficient, and performance-oriented training programs.

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The "NATO Systems Approach to Training (SAT)" course, delivered by the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO), was successfully held at the Scuola di Aerocooperazione (SAC), internationally known as the Italian Joint Air Operations School (Ita-JAOS). The course was conducted entirely in English and targeted SAC Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers.

Organized in the “Mobile Education Training Team” (METT) format, the week-long course was taught by instructors from the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. It focused on training specialists involved in the educational and organizational components of the joint military Institute in Guidonia.

The SAT course is designed to teach participants how to analyze, design, and structure effective training programs aligned with NATO standards, aiming to achieve specific performance and quality objectives. Topics included training needs analysis, objective setting, and the development of training strategies across strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Completion of the course is a key step toward becoming a NATO Certified Instructor.

This educational opportunity allowed Ita-JAOS to further expand its pool of specialists dedicated to designing high-level technical-operational training programs that meet NATO’s quality standards and evolving training needs. It also reinforced the School’s role as an accredited Education and Training Facility, contributing to the development and transformation of NATO’s military forces and capabilities.

Supplementary information

Excellence in Joint Training and International Cooperation

The Italian Joint Air Operations School is the only NATO-accredited training institution within the Italian Defense framework and it is recognized as a National Education and Training Facility. It delivers cutting-edge education that evolves with technological advancements and operational demands, ensuring alignment with the training needs of both national and allied armed forces.

Several Ita-JAOS’ courses are NATO “Approved” and listed in the Education and Training Opportunities Catalogue (ETOC), managed by NATO’s Allied Command for Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk, Virginia (USA).

JTAC Training and Operational Readiness

In the specialized field of Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training, Ita-JAOS provides the expertise and competencies required for qualification, exclusively through inter-service pathways. JTACs play a critical role in Close Air Support (CAS) missions, which demand high-level integration between air assets and ground controllers.

The School Commander serves as the National Certification Authority for JTAC qualification. Ita-JAOS places strong emphasis on the selection and training of JTAC instructors to ensure high standards and effective knowledge transfer. It also trains JTAC Evaluators responsible for assessment and standardization within national operational units.

Thanks to full compliance with NATO standards, Ita-JAOS’ qualified JTACs are authorized to operate in joint missions with air assets from various NATO nations. Regular CAS Weeks are held to test and develop JTAC capabilities, efficiency, and training levels.

Expanding into Multi-Domain Operations

Ita-JAOS has broadened its training offerings in recent years to include the full spectrum of JTAC, Joint Personnel Recovery (JPR), and Joint Targeting (JT). In the field of Remote Sensing, the School provides courses on managing, interpreting, and analyzing imagery from airborne and satellite-based electro-optical and radar sensors. Ita-JAOS collaborates with academic, scientific, and industrial partners to integrate technological innovations into its curriculum.

A newly implemented third training domain focuses on Space, expanding the School’s Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) approach. Courses such as Governance and Space Systems (GSS), Space Battle Management Operator/Staff Officer and Orbital Warfare are developed in collaboration with the Italian Defense General Staff’s Space Office and Space Operations Command.

Open Access and Strategic Vision

Ita-JAOS courses are opened not only to Italian Armed Forces personnel but also to external participants from the Defense Administration, NATO military personnel, and members of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Program, subject to authorization from the Italian Defense General Staff.

The Commander’s vision is to be relevant in training to operate, promoting knowledge, skills and enablement, for the benefit of the Country system.

The School’s mission is to design and deliver, in a multi-domain perspective, advanced and specialized training in the fields of Air-to-Surface Integration, Remote Sensing and Space, in support to National, NATO and partner Countries personnel.