RAMSTEIN, Germany – For two months, the German Joint Force Air Component or JFAC – under arrangements of the NATO Response Force - takes over command and control of Allied air operations from Allied Air Command enabling the staff to prepare for and participate in an annual major NATO command post exercise.
NATO’s Air and Space Power has comprehensive resilience and can both flexibly handle critical training requirements and provide sustained command and control for ongoing air operations
“Exercising is important and key for all NATO forces and command and control entities. It is a constant process that empowers the experts the Nations make available to NATO’s integrated command structure to accomplish their mission in support of Alliance operations,” said Brigadier General Christoph Pliet, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations at Allied Air Command. “That is why AIRCOM appreciates the offer from to assume our role of overseeing real-world operations as long as our staff undergo proficiency training in their specialised skills during the strategic NATO exercise Steadfast Jupiter,” he added.
For two months, the German Joint Force Air Component or JFAC – under arrangements of the NATO Response Force - takes over command and control of Allied air operations from Allied Air Command. Archive photo by Hofmann / Bundeswehr.
"Taking over the real-world operations from AIRCOM temporarily is what the German JFAC is well prepared for,” said Brigadier General Holger Radmann, Director of the German JFAC HQ. Photo by Brandmoeller / Bundeswehr.
The Joint Force Air Component plans, coordinates, executes and controls combined and joint operations that support NATO Deterrence and Defence missions protecting Allied populations. Archive photo courtesy French Armed Forces.
Since Russia started its brutal war against Ukraine, AIRCOM has stood up and operated the NATO Command Structure JFAC at Ramstein, Germany. The JFAC is manned with international experts who plan, coordinate and control Allied air operations along the eastern flank involving thousands of sorties of Allied fighter, tanker, transport, intelligence and surveillance and airborne control aircraft ensuring credible deterrence and defence for the Alliance.
Besides the NATO Command Structure JFAC at Ramstein, several nations have established NATO Force Structure (NFS) JFACs that are trained and stood up to serve as command and control unit for the NATO Response Force. The German JFAC has this responsibility for the NATO Response Force 2023.
“Taking over the real-world operations from AIRCOM temporarily is what the German JFAC is well prepared for,” said Brigadier General Holger Radmann, Director of the German JFAC HQ. “We went through a comprehensive preparation and successfully completed a NATO certification process. During the German-led multinational “Air Defender 23” we prepared, planned, coordinated and executed live-fly operations with 25 Nations and 250 aircraft,” he added.
“The possibility to assign command and control of our real-world operations to the capable German JFAC for two months demonstrates three things,” said General Pliet. “First, NATO’s Air and Space Power has comprehensive resilience and can both flexibly handle critical training requirements and provide sustained command and control for ongoing air operations. Second, as a culmination of is preparation process, DEU JFAC has the capacity to apply common NATO Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for combined air operations in a sustained manner. Third, the arrangement turns into practice the requirements of the NATO Response Force and demonstrates the reliability, credibility and capability of NATO Air and Space Power,” he concluded.