The 14th Aircraft Squadron commissions the new NH-90 MSPT ‘Sable’.

Nine pilots will be fully qualified to fly the new ‘Sable’ helicopters in Rota Naval Base as of this summer.

In recent weeks, the first two NH-90 pilots of the 14^th Squadron of the Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN) have begun to receive flight training at the facilities of Airbus Helicopters Spain in Albacete. This milestone marks the beginning of the last phase of training to be qualified to fly the first naval version of the NH-90.

Having completed a first theoretical phase of Ground School and a subsequent phase in the flight simulator, the group of pilots trained by Airbus Spain is close to completing their full training after having begun flights on the helicopters. These flights are intended to instruct the pilot in different scenarios, using the tactical environment of the NH-90 MSPT both day and night with night vision goggles.

To the 6 pilots being trained on the NH-90 MSPT with Airbus, 2 further pilots who have already completed their training on the NH-90 GSPA with the Spanish Air Force and a pilot who is doing the instructor course with the Spanish Army at the Base of Agoncillo, Logroño complete the current number of pilots.

Once the first phase of training is completed, the 14^th Squadron will have 9 pilots and an instructor from the Italian Navy to operate the 3 aircraft that will be received throughout 2025 completing the reception of a total of 7 helicopters by 2026.

As for maintenance personnel, the 14^th Squadron has received support from both NH-90 Squadrons (Army and Air Force) and Airbus Helicopters, to train the team of maintainers who will be responsible for the NH-90s ‘Sable’ operated from Rota Naval Base as of the summer of 2025.