NATO air chiefs discuss common challenges, solutions

  • Published
  • By Maj. Chris Karns
  • Air Force Foreign Liaison Division
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Nineteen NATO air chiefs gathered to discuss how to meet the security demands of a changing world at the chief of staff of the Air Force-hosted 2008 NATO Air Chiefs Conference Oct. 5 through 12 here.

The theme for this year's conference was "The Community of Airmen: Solutions to Common Challenges," as the air chiefs met at various air bases to discuss the future strategic environment. 

Conference topics included interoperability and modernization, 21st century threats and challenges, lessons learned in Afghanistan, training opportunities, energy strategy, cyberspace, space and unmanned aircraft systems used in peace and at war. 

"The requirement for increased global vigilance, reach and power must also include a clearly defined Air Force role with respect to global security challenges," said Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff. "With limited resources, the need to address threats and issues collectively, as a community, is now a necessity for all nations."

The conference sparked ideas and a common understanding as to the future direction and needs of NATO air forces.

"The strategic environment requires Air Force modernization, interoperability and respective Air Forces working together to achieve security objectives. All of this must be done in a tough budgetary environment where systems are becoming more difficult to maintain, air space issues exist and competition is fierce for the services of skilled Airmen," said Belgium Lt. Gen. Gerard Van Caelenberge, Belgium's air component commander. 

General Van Caelenberge is also the former director of the European Air Group. The air group aims to improve the interoperability of the air forces of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

As air forces become smaller, there is a risk airmen could lose their identity, General Van Caelenberge said. "It is vitally important that air forces continuously develop an airman culture that is complementary to air doctrine and place a strong emphasis on educating and instilling the values desired in airman warriors and leaders."

During the conferences, the air chiefs not only addressed challenges and issues of concern, but also discussed the need to enhance interoperability via exercises and shared thoughts on required future capability.

With the emergence of new missions such as cyber, the need for air forces to fully leverage, understand and integrate the cyber capability is apparent, said Bulgarian Lt. Gen. Simeon Simeonov, the chief of staff of Bulgarian air force headquarters.

It was also discussed there will be a growing reliance on and demand for unmanned aircraft systems due to their reduced personnel footprint and intelligence gathering capability.

With a growing reliance on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the need for space capability becomes apparent. Global space capabilities include communications, positioning, navigation and timing, ISR, weather and strategic missile warning and defense, which are critical to the joint warfighter.

With the space domain becoming a more contested environment, there is a driving need for international approach and cooperation.

"Space is the future and the need to build a common, integrated approach to use space assets and facilities is required now," said Romanian Lt. Gen. Constantin Croitoru, the chief of Romanian air force staff. "The need to fully leverage space as well as develop commonalities between NATO partners is very important. Similar to the air component, taking steps to integrate coalition partners in space training, exercises and building a coalition space cadre and team is extremely important."

Another aspect of the conference was the opportunity to renew relationships and commitments to one another.

"We are a team and a family. This (relationship) is important as we need to rely on one another to solve future challenges," General Croitoru said. "This conference provided a perfect platform to discuss common ideas, attitudes and served as a bridge toward developing common solutions to issues impacting us all. This was a very enjoyable experience."

Countries represented at this year's conference were Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The week-long conference included visits to the Pentagon; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; Sheppard AFB, Texas; Peterson AFB, Colo.; and Ramstein Air Base, Germany. 

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