- 5th Generation Aviation
Combat Air
Combat Air (CA) is the heart of Joint Air Power. NATO’s ability to deter and defend relies on the freedom of manoeuvre throughout all domains. CA contributes to that freedom by providing Air Superiority, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, Air Interdiction, Electromagnetic Operations, Close Air Support, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, NATO Ballistic Missile Defence, and Personnel Recovery. This Branch incorporates manned and unmanned platforms, with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and draws from all components within Alliance air and space forces.
Colonel
Kevin
Anderson
Joint Air Power Competence Centre
Colonel Kevin “Tread” Anderson entered the United States Air Force in June 2005 when he graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. After his commission, he attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and completed the F-16 Basic Operational Training Course as a Distinguished Graduate in 2008. Since then, Colonel Anderson has had various assignments across four MAJCOMs, as well as an Olmsted Scholar international exchange program in Valparaíso, Chile. His operational experience includes four deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, ODYSSEY DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM’s SENTINEL, and SPARTAN SHIELD, as well as numerous NATO Air Policing taskings.
Colonel Anderson commanded the 510th Fighter Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and most recently, graduated with Academic Distinction from Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Colonel Anderson is a graduate of the US Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, and holds master’s degrees in Systems Engineering, International Relations, and Military Strategic Studies with an emphasis on joint planning.
Colonel Anderson is a Wild Weasel instructor pilot and Forward Air Controller (Airborne) with over 3,600 flight hours, over 190 combat missions, and over 1,000 combat hours in the F-16.
Information provided is current as of July 2024
Featured Publications
Adapting Air and Missile Defence Training and Doctrine for Hypersonics and Drones
Many Changes Are Needed to Defend NATO Against Emerging Threats
By Lt Col
Kim
Vogt
The rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary warfare has introduced new challenges to Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) and fundamentally altered the dynamics of defence and deterrence within NATO. Emerging threats, such as Unmanned Aircraft [...]
Navigating the Digital Battlefield
Understanding Cyber Electromagnetic Activities in Warfare
By Lt Col
Athanasios
Sdrakas
On the modern battlefield, military forces face a complex environment where success depends on controlling geographic domains such as land, air, sea, and space while exploiting non-physical operational areas like cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), [...]
The Missing Pieces of NATO’s Autonomous Collaborative Platform Strategy
By Col
Kevin
Anderson
In May 2024, the Secretary of the US Air Force, Frank Kendall, took a groundbreaking flight aboard a modified F-16 (X-62A VISTA), while it was controlled exclusively by autonomous, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled software. As the [...]
Subject Matter Experts
Colonel
William Barksdale
Subject Matter Expert
5th Generation Aviation
Colonel Will Barksdale was commissioned into the US Air Force in 2006 from Mississippi State University, graduated ENJJPT in 2007, held instructor pilot qualifications in both the T-38 and F-22, and has been involved in the production of 350 F-22 pilots. He has deployed to the Indo-Pacific region as part...
Commander
Massimiliano Buzzoni
Subject Matter Expert
Maritime Air and Carrier Operations
Commander Massimiliano Buzzoni was commissioned into the Italian Navy in 1991 as a mine warfare officer. After graduating from military pilot training in 1995, he began his pilot career flying Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopters, later supporting amphibious and special operations forces as an embarked pilot for the Italian Navy Fleet until...
Lieutenant Colonel
Erhan Güleç
Subject Matter Expert
Close Air Support
Lieutenant Colonel Erhan Güleç graduated from the Turkish Air Force Academy in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering and was stationed as an Intercept Controller (IC) at the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) of Diyarbakir, Türkiye. Following his Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering, in 2013, he joined the...
Lieutenant Colonel
Antonio Gutierrez
Subject Matter Expert
Manned Air (Fixed Wing)
Lieutenant Colonel Gutierrez joined the Spanish Air Force in 1996. He completed the basic flight course as a Distinguished Graduate in 2000. After 5-year academy, he was promoted to Lieutenant, being posted to the 14th Fighting Wing (Albacete AF Base) as a fighter pilot. He was flying Mirage F1 from...
Lieutenant Colonel
Andre Haider
Subject Matter Expert
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
Lieutenant Colonel Haider began his military career with the German Armed Forces in April 1992. He initially served as a Personnel NCO in the 150th Rocket Artillery Battalion HQ. Following his promotion to Lieutenant in 1998, he took on the role of an MLRS platoon leader within the same battalion....
Major
Tamás Oszlár
Subject Matter Expert
Attack Helicopters
Major Oszlar joined the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) in 1987 and started his military education at “Szolnok” Military Aviation College in Hungary. He was assigned to the 31. “Kapos” Tactical Fighter Wing 1990 as air traffic controller. He graduated on NATO Staff College Joint Command and General Staff Course at...
Lieutenant Colonel
Emiliano Pellegrini
Subject Matter Expert
Attack Helicopters
Lieutenant Colonel Emiliano PELLEGRINI was commissioned in the Italian Army in 1990, when he was admitted to the Italian Army Military Academy. After five years of studies in the Academy was appointed as Mountain Artillery Officer where served for four years before to transit to the Italian Air Force schools...
Lieutenant Colonel
Athanasios Sdrakas
Subject Matter Expert
Electronic Warfare and SEAD
Lieutenant Colonel Athanasios Sdrakas graduated from the Hellenic Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics in 2000. He holds two Master of Science degrees: one in International Affairs from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, and another in Environmental, Disaster, and Crises Management Strategies from the National and...
Commander
Aaron Shiffer
Subject Matter Expert
Maritime Air and Carrier Operations
Commander Aaron Shiffer commissioned into the United States Navy in 2000. Initial training pilot training was in the P-3C Orion serving two US operational tours and a 3rd with the Royal Australian Air Force. After completing a tour on board the USS GEORGE HW BUSH, he transitioned to the P-8A...
Lieutenant Colonel
Van Wuytswinkel
Subject Matter Expert
Air & Missile Defence
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wuytswinkel began his military career within the Netherlands Armed Forces in August 1985. After his first assignement at Air Base Eindhoven he joined the 3rd Netherlands Missile Group in Blomberg (West-Germany) to start a career as an Air Defender. He worked as a Stinger team Commander and...
Lieutenant Colonel
Kim Vogt
Subject Matter Expert
Air & Missile Defence
Lieutenant Colonel Kim Vogt currently serves as a subject matter expert for integrated air and missile defence at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre. He joined the German Armed Forces in September 2001. Following the completion of his Officer Training, he studied Economic Studies at the University of the German...
Lieutenant Colonel
Giovanni Zanier
Subject Matter Expert
Precision Guided Munitions
Lieutenant Colonel Giovanni Zanier joined the Italian Air Force in 1994, attending the Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli (Italy) as ROTC pilot. He completed the Basic and Advance Pilot Training course at the 61st Air Brigade – Galatina AFB – in 1996, before attending the AM-X OCU in Amendola...
