RAMSTEIN, Germany – From September 5 to 6, NATO’s Allied Air Command hosted the AIRCOM Commanders Conference at its headquarters in Ramstein, Germany. The conference was the stage for AIRCOM to engage with senior international military leaders to lay out how Air Power contributes to NATO warfighting.
As advocates of NATO Air Power we play a crucial role in advancing changes of mind sets required to progress deterrence and defence and our warfighting capability in multi-domain operations
“This has been an excellent opportunity for AIRCOM to showcase and explain how we will fight to colleagues from across Allied Command Operations, NATO agencies, national operational commands and – last, but not least – our AIRCOM enterprise,” said General James Hecker, AIRCOM Commander. “As advocates of NATO Air Power we play a crucial role in advancing changes of mind sets required to progress deterrence and defence and our warfighting capability in multi-domain operations. Air and Space support the Supreme Allied Commander’s endeavour to boost the family of operational plans at all levels,” General Hecker added.
Senior military representatives from across the Alliance and the Nations took part in a frank and open forum about current and future challenges and opportunities for AIRCOM and Allied Command Operations. Photo by Arnaud Chamberlin.
Smooth transition from Air Policing in peacetime to Air Defence in crisis is one concept that needs to be thoroughly understood across the NATO Command Structure. Archive photo by Hesja.
Effective Integrated Air and Missile Defence and the close interaction of NATO AIRCOM with Allies contributing weapon systems is one key warfighting capability - seen here during recent exercise Ramstein Legacy. Archive photo courtesy Michael Linnenen.
Integrating strategic assets e.g. during Bomber Task Force deployments in C-A2AD drills demonstrates how NATO Air Power advances implementation of SACEUR's family of plans. Photo courtesy Finnish Air Force.
About 60 senior military representatives took part in a frank and open forum about current and future challenges and opportunities for AIRCOM and Allied Command Operations. In this context - and to illustrate how AIRCOM fights - General Hecker reiterated the importance of his five priorities: from Counter Anti Access/Area Denial (A2AD) and Integrated Air and Missile Defence to Air Command and Control, Information Sharing and Agile Combat Employment.
“We are going to implement and train all these in our exercise programme,” General Hecker added. “In our upcoming first Flag Series exercise Ramstein Flag in Greece in October and in our contribution to the ensuing strategic command post exercise Steadfast Duel,” he added.
These exercises will be an opportunity to demonstrate the ability to counter and defeat an adversary's A2AD structure and capabilities, ensuring freedom of manoeuvre and freedom of action and operate the Integrated Air and Missile Defence to defend NATO territory, its people, critical infrastructure, and essential defence capabilities. “Training and exercises in these domains are fundamental to develop and implement effective tactics, techniques and procedures in order to achieve effective results and to be ready to promptly react in case of threats,” General Hecker concluded.