Sep 28 2020

German Deployable Control and Reporting Centre to Augment NATO Architecture in all three Baltic States

RAMSTEIN, Germany - The German Air Force is setting up a Deployable Control and Reporting Centre (DCRC) at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, supplemented by additional sub-elements at Skede, Latvia and Ämari, Estonia. The deployed German soldiers are preparing to augment the static CRCs at Karmėlava, Lielvarde and Tallinn and support situational awareness for the airspace in the Baltic region.

“I am impressed at how by my team is performing here in Lithuania,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthias B., project officer for the German DCRC deployment and operations officer, who has overseen the deployment preparations for personnel and materiel for roughly a year. “They established a field camp with tents for the personnel that can now focus on installing the DCRC systems into the containers,” he added. The entire operational suite for Communications and Information Systems needs to be arranged, tested and connected before the German DCRC can be looped into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System or NATINAMDS, which is used to establish a recognised air picture and control NATO fighters on their Air Policing mission.

Our DCRC team here in Šiauliai can demonstrate our ability to deploy, set up and operate a complex air surveillance and control system worldwide

At the moment, the Italian Air Force Eurofighters operate out of Siauliai and the German Air Force Eurofighters are deployed to Ämari Air Base in Estonia, and both conduct NATO 24/7 Air Policing mission in the Baltic region. Their routine missions involve taking off at short notice to intercept, identify and escort unidentified

aircraft flying close to NATO airspace. During such missions the fighters are controlled by the CRCs in the Baltic States, and this is where the German DCRC can support and augment operations or training activities in a multinational architecture.

German DCRC deployment takes place in support of NATO’s Assurance Measures, introduced six years ago to demonstrate NATO’s commitment to the Allies along the eastern flank of the Alliance. Technically the DCRC staff is part of the German enhanced Air Policing mission at Ämari, also taking place under the Assurance Measures.

“Our DCRC team – operating here in Šiauliai by the callsign “Redhawk – can demonstrate our ability to deploy, set up and operate our complex air surveillance and control system worldwide,” said Lieutenant Colonel B. Starting on October 14 until the end of November, his colleagues will work out of their deployed site. They are closely connected with the other Baltic CRCs and NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany, to help control NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission and demonstrate interoperability that enables Alliance deterrence and defence.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office

First container with equipment for the German Deployable Control and Reporting Centre is being placed at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania. Photo by Niels Juhlke.

The field camp with accommodation tents for the build-up team has been established at Šiauliai Air Base. The staff can now focus on setting and testing up systems and eventually connecting to NATO's integrated Air and Missile Defence System via the Baltic network. Photo by Niels Juhlke.

Build-up team equipping administration containers at Šiauliai Air Base. Lots of cabling and wiring still to do before the German Deployable Control and Reporting Centre can go online. Photo by Niels Juhlke.