Photo By 1st Lt. Richard Longoria | A NATO E-3A Sentry flies over the European skies on April 7, 2005. (Photo by Andrea...... read more read more
GEILENKIRCHEN, Germany - NATO AWACS radar aircraft were airborne April 30 from very early until very late, working with the Air Operations Control agency of the Royal Netherlands Air Force to safeguard Dutch airspace during the royal investiture ceremonies and festivities in Amsterdam.
The AWACS aircraft are often used for countering any airborne threat during major events of international significance, and today they were particularly focusing on monitoring all the air traffic in the airspace around Amsterdam.
The NATO AWACS support was provided by four E-3As (two of these airborne, one on alert status and one in reserve), four international AWACS crews, plus two tanker planes and their crews for air refuelling of the airborne E-3As during this mission.
Excellent cooperation between NATO AWACS, RNLAF and KLPD
The AWACS aircraft have been monitoring Dutch airspace today in cooperation with the RNLAF’s Air Operations Control Station Nieuw Milligen (AOCS NM), where a detachment from the National Police Services Agency (KLPD) is also present. The KLPD bears primary responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the airspace around Amsterdam during this major national event, and the RNLAF is providing the necessary resources and assets for monitoring and appropriate response.
The Netherlands’ area of responsibility (AOR) within NATO airspace is monitored from the AOCS NM. This AOR also includes airspace zones over the North Sea. With the aid of radar the AOCS constantly tracks and monitors all the air traffic within the Dutch AOR, and the NATO AWACS planes support the AOCS in this task.
Via the command and control centre and the NATO AWACS, the AOCS NM monitors whether each aircraft within the airspace has a flight plan and the correct codes, and whether it is following the correct route. In case of discrepancy the aircraft concerned is contacted by radio or intercepted by F-16s.
NATO E-3A Component Geilenkirchen
The tasks of NATO AWACS include the surveillance of large areas of airspace and the control of military aircraft - not only fighter planes but also maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and tankers - during operational missions. AWACS aircraft are used for supporting missions such as ISAF in Afghanistan, as well as NATO air exercise programmes.
The radar planes also provide valuable additional support to naval forces. The AWACS has the capability to monitor large areas of sea and to detect, identify and track ships and stationary or drifting objects. This aircraft type is also able to provide essential, real-time information to NATO commanders via data links, as well as to facilitate automatic interchange of information between units that have no means of communicating directly with each other.
The NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) has two operational elements: the NATO E-3A Component, stationed at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Germany, and the E-3D Component, based at RAF Waddington in the UK. The latter unit is manned solely by British personnel, whereas the E-3A Component is a multinational operational flying unit with personnel from sixteen NATO nations, one of which is the Netherlands. NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen has a workforce of approx. 2100 military and civilian personnel. The E-3A Component also has three Forward Operating Bases in Italy, Turkey and Greece, and one Forward Operating Location in Norway.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2013 17:01 |
| Story ID: | 106102 |
| Location: | NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN, NORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN, DE |
| Web Views: | 471 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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