Fleet Week comes to the JAPCC

Kalkar, 11-13 May 2016. The JAPCC hosted representatives spanning 19 NATO Organizations representing 11 nations in a series of 3 conferences focused on Maritime Air operations from 11-13 May in Kalkar. Along with Commander Maritime Air NATO (CMAN), the JAPCC Assistant Director Co-Chairs the Maritime Air Coordination Conference, which is a Bi-SC group specifically addressing challenges and methodology to improve interoperability between the Maritime and Air services. As the littorals have airspace which will likely see assets from the Air component tasked to support the Maritime, this group reviews existing and potential future friction points and works toward developing solutions for use in any Joint campaign.

The Maritime Air Coordination Conference and its associated Air-Maritime Coordination Working Group (AMCWG) met from 12-13 May. The theme of this year’s event was Maritime Air support to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and the Maritime Air Network. The principle focal points were a brief by the JAPCC with the critical findings and recommendations stemming from a year-long study into existing and projected Maritime Air ASW challenges for the Alliance. This report is expected to be formally published in June of 2016. This was followed by CMAN providing the attendees insight into efforts made regarding Air Maritime Governance (AMG), including SHAPE endorsement of the AMG concept, which is currently headed to the NAC for review. During these two events, attendees from each nation operating Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Maritime Patrol Helicopters, including those within the Maritime Air C2 network, were joined by representatives from both of NATO’s standing Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOC) as well as Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRKFORNATO). New attendees from the Italian Maritime Forces/EU Naval Force (Mediterranean), the Canadian Warfare Centre and the UK Warfare Centre joined the team and provided valuable insight both to their national position on MPA as well as developments in carrier and amphibious maritime air mission portfolios.

Associated with the MACC, the Maritime Air Control Authority (MACA) Conference occurred on 11 May and discussed Allied Maritime Command’s coordination and command relationship with the 7 existing national MACA’s as well as the other MAOCs, MOCs and NAOCs which coordinate national Maritime Patrol missions in support of NATO operations.

The chairs of the events, JAPCC Assistant Director, Air CDRE Spit (RNL AF), and Commander Maritime Air NATO, RDML Thomas Ernst (DEU N), were pleased with the topics, the conversations and the efforts toward improving interoperability across the 2 service components. MACC 2017 will be hosted by MARAIR Northwood in the Spring of 2017. For more information, please contact the JAPCC’s Combat Air Branch at CA@japcc.org