In 1973, the rapidly rising cost of pilot training and the need to improve interoperability of NATO air forces led a group of European nations to examine the feasibility of conducting a consolidated undergraduate flying training program. While pursuing this initiative, the participating countries also hoped to solve other problems such as predominantly poor weather conditions and restricted airspace which impacted the flying training programs of many NATO air forces. 

In 1974, the United States joined the working group and, in addition to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, and Canada, proposed a plan to host a joint undergraduate pilot training program. After a thorough review of all the proposals, it was agreed that the United States could offer the best combination of good flying weather, adequate training airspace, existing facilities, and growth potential to accommodate proposed annual requirements. Consequently, in 1978, the United States was formally selected to host the ENJJPT program for 10 years as a short-term solution, while studies on relocation to a European base continued. 

The ENJJPT program can train approximately 320 undergraduate pilots each year. Nine participating nations have students and instructors in the program
  - Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, and the United States. Four others - Canada, Greece, Portugal, and the United Kingdom - contribute instructor pilots to the multinational staff.

Approximately 50 percent of the student pilots and instructors are from the U.S. Air Force. In addition to undergraduate student pilots, the 80th Flying Training Wing also operates its own pilot instructor training program which can produce approximately 110 new instructors each year. 

ENJJPT is a truly multinational operation. The 80th Flying Training Wing is commanded by a U.S. Air Force colonel, and the second-in-command, the operations group commander, is a German air force colonel. The remainder of operational supervisory positions are filled by officers from the full range of participants. This includes squadron commanders, operations officers, flight commanders, and wing staff officers. 

As a result of this totally integrated structure, a U.S. Air Force second lieutenant student pilot may have a Belgian flight instructor, a Dutch flight commander, a Greek section commander, an Italian operations officer, and a German squadron commander. Training is conducted in English, which is the international language of aviation. 

The ENJJPT syllabus differs from other U.S. Air Force undergraduate pilot training programs. It includes 256 flying hours compared to approximately 206 for the other programs. The additional hours are used to achieve special skills needed to prepare the student pilot for follow-on training in a wide variety of fighter aircraft, as well as for the weather conditions experienced in the European Theater of Operations. 

Maintenance for the T-37 and T-38 aircraft used in the ENJJPT program is provided by civilian contract. This arrangement was found to be more cost effective since the contractor can focus the efforts of a stable, experienced work force solely on aircraft maintenance tasks.
Total program costs are shared by member nations, as each pays a prorated portion of the expenses based on its level of participation. 

The benefits of the ENJJPT Program are many: lower cost, better training environment, enhanced standardization and interoperability, to name a few. 
Another very important aspect of ENJJPT is the bonds of friendship and respect developed among all participants in the 80th Flying Training Wing. The student pilots and staff instructors of today will be the leaders of NATO's tactical air forces of tomorrow. Having trained together, they will be much better prepared to fight and win together, should the need ever arise.

On July 3, 1996, the ENJJPT program celebrated the successful completion of its 1,000,000th sortie (97-02 USAF student Mark Allen and COL Kenneth Decuir flew that sortie). Today, it continues to provide superior training to the leaders of tomorrow's NATO flying force.