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Two Eurofighters from the German Air Force and 2
Saab/Gripen from the Czech Air Force.
Photo courtesy German Air Force. |
The term air policing was first used by the British between the World Wars to describe its mission in Mesopotamia (now part of Iraq) where aircraft effectively replaced the more traditional army approach of "boots on the ground.” This was the first time air power had been used for this [policing] task and it was deemed to be very successful.
Air policing involves NATO members jointly and collectively using fighter aircraft to preserve the integrity of NATO airspace.
By combining national assets, and supplementing as necessary through other NATO elements, NATO has created an integrated air defence structure and system. The resulting NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS) comprises sensors, command and control (C2) facilities and weapons systems such as ground based air defence and fighter aircraft. The interconnecting data-link systems enable the free and open exchange of the Recognised Air Picture (RAP) from North Norway to South Eastern Turkey. NATINADS has been, and remains, the cornerstone of Alliance solidarity and cohesion.
Fulfilling NATO's Air Policing task requires alliance nations to allocate their air defence assets to SACEUR's operational command. This is executed from data-linked ground radar and surveillance assets attached to Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOCs) distributed throughout the region. There is an ongoing optimization process involving the CAOCs to facilitate the roll out of NATO's Air Command and Control System (ACCS). Germany now administers the tactical C2 of the airspace within COM CC-Air Ramstein's Areas of Functional Responsibility (AOFR), CAOC1 at Finnerup, Denmark and CAOC2 at Uedem.
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Aircraft at handover of Baltic Air Policing, 2009.
Photo courtesy of German Air Force. |
NATO members without the necessary national assets to conduct air policing are assisted by other NATO members to ensure air sovereignty is maintained. In March 2004, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia joined NATO. As new members, these nations fall under NATO's collective security and defence umbrella which includes routine policing of all NATO airspace. The capability for the Baltic air policing was established by deployment of NATO fighter aircraft to Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. In addition, the Baltic Air Surveillance Network (BALTNET), an indigenous radar surveillance and command and coordination system, was seamlessly integrated into NATINADS. Similar arrangements have been made for maintaining air sovereignty for other new NATO members.
Iceland radar surveillance and C2 facilities was integrated into NATINADS, with a full two-way exchange of the RAP through existing NATINADS after the withdrawal of United States forces from Iceland in 2006. NATO members will, at the request of the Icelandic government, regularly deploy fighter assets and support to Keflavik Air Base to assure Icelandic airspace. Deployments will also include NATO AWACS to further enhance the RAP and other additional airborne assets as required.
Both the Šiauliai and Keflavik air policing deployments further demonstrate NATO's collective security and defence umbrella and the cohesion of the Alliance.