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Air Operations
The air environment is unique. Air surrounds the globe and overlays the land and sea. Consequently, air power is inherently joint, as air power has decisive impact when orchestrated along with land, maritime, space and cyberspace power.4 Air power is also pervasive, as aircraft are rarely physically constrained by national boundaries or terrain, so can potentially obtain access to any point on Earth. The distinctiveness of the environment means that air power has very different attributes to maritime power and land power. Consequently properly executed joint operations, where air, land, sea, space and cyber capabilities are used to complement one another’s strengths and weaknesses, can be particularly effective.
(Allied Joint Doctrine for Air and Space Operations, AJP-3.3 Ed.B, Apr. 2016)
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Andreas
Schmidt
France, in 1794, was the first nation to use aerial balloons for reconnaissance purposes. Subsequently, it took almost 100 years for the German military to realize that small cannons could be used to intercept those [...]
Unintentional Air Strikes during Dynamic Operations
NATO Views and Possible Fixes
By Lt Col
Michele
Ferrari di Valbona
By Lt Col
Andrea
Olivieri
Images of bombed hospitals stunned participants of the 2016 JAPCC Conference, as a Panellist raised the unsettling and poignant issue about how operations sometimes transcend military objectives. Specifically, the panellist expressed concern about ‘recurring kinetic [...]
Unmanned Aerial Systems Miniaturization
Chances and Risks of an Irreversible Trend
By Lt Col
Michel
Busch
The design of the first-ever Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that appeared in the late 1970s and early 1980s was determined, and limited, by the payload size and weight of the sensors available. During that time [...]
Detecting and Neutralizing Mini-Drones
Sensors and Effectors against an Asymmetric Threat
By Ms
Daniela
Pistoia
Small (15–150 kg), mini (<15 kg), micro (<66 J energy state) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) will drastically proliferate in the near future with rapidly advancing performance and functionalities. Progress in power storage, avionics miniaturization, materials [...]
NATO Helicopter Underslung Load Certification
By Maj
Hein
Faber
By Maj
Jos
Kaijen
One method of quickly employing ground forces is through airmobile operations. When airmobile forces are employed by helicopter, part of their equipment is transported as an Underslung Load (USL) underneath the helicopter. For NATO forces [...]
Joint Air Power Following the 2016 Warsaw Summit
Urgent Priorities
By Dr
Hans
Binnendijk
By Gen
Frank
Gorenc
By Lt Gen
Frederik H.
Meulman
By Lt Gen
Friedrich W.
Ploeger
By Lt Gen
Pasquale
Preziosa
By Lt Gen
Joachim
Wundrak
NATO is facing an increasingly diverse, unpredictable and demanding security environment, ‘an arc of insecurity and instability along NATO’s periphery and beyond’. In recent times this has led to a range of steps by NATO [...]
Air Warfare Communication in a Networked Environment
By Capt
William A.
Perkins
By Col
Carlos
Presa
Network technology is expanding at an exponential rate. As technology improves, effectively unlimited connectivity is no longer strictly a future concept; however, combined decision-making and data sharing processes (or maybe ‘protocols’) are not evolving at [...]
Hypersonic Vehicles
Game Changers for Future Warfare?
By Mr
Hans-Ludwig
Besser
By Dr.-Ing.
Dennis
Göge
By Mr
Michael
Huggins
By Mr
Alan
Shaffer
By Dr.-Ing.
Dirk
Zimper
Hypersonic technologies offer potential solutions and applications that could have a strong impact on doctrine and conduct of future military operations. Different applications are conceivable for hypersonic flight vehicles in order to enable new or [...]
Future Battlefield Rotorcraft Capability
Operating in the Land and Littoral Environment Anno 2035 - Part 1: Analysing the Future Operating Environment
By Col
Wim
Schoepen
This topic was the subject of an essay paper the author recently wrote under supervision of the University of Lincoln, UK. For the purpose of publication in this journal, the essay has been divided into [...]
Preserving NATO’s C2 Edge
Capitalizing on MTDS/LVC Advanced Capabilities
By Maj
Jay B.
Vizcarra
Mission Training through Distributed Simulation (MTDS) began in the late 1990s as an internal training system, and through the work of the NATO E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Component, it is now a [...]
Better Together
First Ever Air-to-Air Refuelling Clearance Request/Approval Training and Table Top Exercise
By Maj
Victoria
Thomas
‘Because we live in times with new security threats, with instability, and we don’t need more instability. We don’t need less cooperation in Europe; we need more.’ NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg In July 2016, [...]
European Security and the Significance of the F-35
By Air Cdre
Frans
Osinga
This essay is the reprint of an article published in October 2016 by the Norwegian Airforce Magazine ‘LUFTLED’. The introduction of F-35 fighters in European air forces marks a momentous transition from 4 generation. But [...]
Fifth Generation Air Combat
Maintaining the Joint Force Advantage
By Gen
Jeffrey L.
Harrigian
By Col
Max M.
Marosko III
This is an abridged version of an article published in the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Journal Ed. No. 6, July 2016. For the purposes of this paper, we must define what a ‘fifth generation’ [...]
JAPCC Perspective on the Fifth Generation Aircraft Discussion
Air Warfare Communication in a Networked Environment
By Capt
William A.
Perkins
By Col
Carlos
Presa
By Col
Joseph
Speed
Both the F-22 and F-35 have proprietary, directional datalink systems, which permit a high level of secure data transfer with each other, but have limited to no connectivity to other platforms. Many engineering solutions, including [...]
Beating Brownout
Technology Helps, but Training Remains Key
By Cdr
Maurizio
Modesto
When I started my helicopter pilot training at Whiting Field (US), I practiced my landings on clean, square, cement pavement. Conditions hardly differed when I made my first operational landings as a Navy helicopter pilot. [...]
The Rise of Close Air Support after World War II
Did the US Army and US Air Force Inter-Service Rivalry Benefit Close Air Support?
By Maj
Paul R.
Andrews
On a cold, clear night in Afghanistan in November 2011, an Air Force AC-130 Gunship and an AH-64 Apache check in with the Army ground party they are to work with. Both aircraft are providing [...]
The Competence Centre for Surface Based Air and Missile Defence
Preserving the EADTF Legacy and Furthering the IAMD Mission
By Lt Col
Thorsten
Tanski
On 3 December 1999, the Extended Air Defence Task Force (EADTF) was installed in Burbach, Germany. At that time, the mission spectrum for Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) forces had expanded to include the defence [...]
Mitigating Disinformation Campaigns Against Air Power
By Dr
Matthieu
Chillaud
By Dr
James
Corum PhD
By Dr
Conrad C.
Crane
By Dr
Eugenio
Cusumano
By Dr
Philipp
Fraund
By Dr
Mark
Hilborne
In military operations over the last twenty years, air power has repeatedly proven to be NATO’s great asymmetric advantage. Air power’s ability to accurately strike targets, support troops on the ground, provide accurate and timely [...]
The Future NATO Rotorcraft Force
Capability Requirements through 2030 and Beyond
By Lt Col
Miklós
Szabó
During the Wales summit in 2014, the need for modern, robust and capable forces at high readiness, in the air, on land, and at sea, in order to meet current and future challenges was highlighted. [...]
Considerations for Employment of the F-35B in Amphibious Operations
By Capt
William A.
Perkins
The arrival of the F-35B Lightning-II into the inventory of many NATO nations is likely to fundamentally alter the methods by which NATO conducts air support to amphibious operations. In the past, the amphibious force [...]
The Value of Common Air Transport Training
A Glance at the European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course
By Lt Col
Roberto
Paviotti
In a changing and unpredictable security environment, the quest for higher quantity and quality of allied military capabilities is a logical one. However, despite widespread austerity and limited defence budgets, there is a call for [...]
The Royal Canadian Air Force and NATO
In Preparing for Domestic and Continental Missions, the RCAF Prepares for NATO Operations
By Lt Gen
Mike
Hood
Interview with Lieutenant General Michael J. Hood, Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF support to NATO is clearly implicit in the Canadian Armed Forces’ three enduring roles: defence of Canada; defence of North America in [...]
Swedish Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance and NATO
Past, Present and Future
By Mr
Dag
Åsvärn
By Prof.
Robert
Egnell
By Maj
Johan
Jakobsson
By Air Cdre
Garfield
Porter
Swedish Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance (TAR) has, like other parts of Swedish Armed Forces’ (SwAF) capability, followed shifts of emphasis in doctrine and practice. In particular, at the end of the Cold War, it moved from [...]
NATO Deployable Airbase Activation Modules
Paving the Way Towards a NATO Deployable Airbase
By Lt Col
Joop
Berghuizen
While the current Force Planning methodology in NATO is highly consistent and stringent, one significant weakness is the system completely depends on the nations to quickly provide sufficient capability to respond to rapidly emerging challenges, [...]
A400M: Europe’s Interoperability Poster Child?
A Heavily Critiqued European Program Leads the Way for Allied Interoperability and Crisis Response Capability
By Maj
Victoria
Thomas
Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) has quickly surfaced on the lists of many Nations and multilateral organisations as a major defence capability area needing attention. In 2011, the European Defence Agency (EDA), under the authority of the [...]
NATO Air Policing Against Unmanned Aircraft
Considerations for a New Approach
By Col
Yildirim
Acikel
By Maj Gen
Ruben C.
Garcia Servert
By Lt Cdr
Scott C.
Menzies
By Lt Col
Yasar G.
Ozen
‘When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying [...]
Optical Data Links for Aerial Applications
Promising Technology for Future RPA Operations
By Dr.-Ing.
Wolfgang
Griethe
By Dr.-Ing.
Markus
Knapek
Optical fibres move tens of terabits of data every second between cities and across oceans. But for the majority of Earth’s surface, where running fibre is impractical physically or financially, communication satellites in space provide [...]
Future Unmanned System Technologies
Legal and Ethical Implications of Increasing Automation
By Ms
Maria Beatrice
Catarrasi
By Lt Col
Andre
Haider
The number of unmanned systems in NATO nations’ military inventories has grown rapidly and is still increasing throughout all domains. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) currently represent the largest share of those systems. At the same [...]
Air Transport Training, Exercises and Interoperability
By Lt Col
Giuseppe
Canfora
By Maj
Joshua
Chambers
By Lt Col
Roberto
Paviotti
By Maj
Chad
Taylor
By Maj
Victoria
Thomas
‘If I had a wish list, it would be more ISR capability, more airlift or more rapid global mobility, particularly with respect to air-to-air refuelling. I encourage things that will give us better interoperability among [...]
Air Command and Control in the Amphibious Environment
By Capt
William A.
Perkins
Although NATO, as an Alliance, has never executed an opposed amphibious landing, it continues to grow, maintain, and exercise its amphibious warfare capability and the role of Air Power in support of Landing Operations continues [...]
Nimble Titan
Ballistic Missile Defence in a Regional, Cross-Regional and Global Environment
By Lt Col
Andreas
Schmidt
Since the beginning of armed conflicts, weapons have been used to gain advantage on the battlefield. The chronological and developmental successor of arrows, catapults, and cannons, Ballistic Missiles (BM) entered the battlefield in 1944 and [...]
NATO / Multinational Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Unit
A Feasibility Study
By Lt Col
Andre
Haider
By Lt Col
Martin
Menzel
By Capt
William A.
Perkins
NATO military commanders and Alliance Leaders have consistently identified gaps in NATO’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability and capacity including the entailed Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) processes. Exercises such as Unified Vision have begun [...]
Standardization of Qualifications for NATO Helicopter Crews in Support of Land Operations
By Maj
Hein
Faber
The Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) conducted a study in 2012 examining the vertical lift capability of the majority of European NATO member states. The Study, etc.). However, problems related to standardization of qualifications [...]
Be Advised, Training in Progress
Operational-Level Air-to-Air Refuelling Planning Course Begins to Meet a NATO Need
By Maj
Joshua
Chambers
Not every useful skill is readiliy visible. That is why the 15 Specialized Heavy Air Refuelling Course (SHARC) Course-0 and the 12 Course-1 graduates do not appear different, but they are! After two busy weeks [...]
Doing the Same with Less
Potential Synergies for NATO Air Power
By Lt Col
Pascal
Gremez
While the fight against DAESH is conducted through a ‘Coalition of the Willing’, there are no ongoing large-scale NATO-led operations. Additionally, though the exact outcome of the Ukraine crisis is still unknown, the recent temporary [...]
Platform Autonomy
State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives from an S&T Point of View
By Mr
Hans-Ludwig
Besser
By Dr.-Ing.
Dennis
Göge
By Mr
Michael
Huggins
By Dr.-Ing.
Dirk
Zimper
The Applied Vehicle Technology Panel (AVT) is an international network of defence scientists and engineers dedicated to increasing the performance of new and ageing vehicles in the air, sea, land, and space domains. This network [...]
The Multinational Aviation Training Centre (MATC)
Sharing Expert Capabilities and Experience
By Col
Bernie
Willi
One of the results of conducting years of combat operations in Afghanistan is improved interoperability across the NATO nations. Despite this, it has been noted in numerous JAPCC studies that there is still a lot [...]
If We Are Not Talking About Air, Who Else Will?
10 Years of the JAPCC
By Lt Gen
Joachim
Wundrak
With this journal issue, the Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) celebrates its 10th anniversary. The JAPCC was and has been, since its accreditation in 2005, the first and largest NATO Centre of Excellence (CoE). [...]
Future Considerations of BMC2
BMC2 Must Be Both Horizontally and Vertically Integrated to Maximize Information Exchange and Fusion
By Lt Col
Joshua W.
Conine
Air Power is dependent on its ability to utilize speed, range, flexibility, precision, tempo and lethality in order to achieve successful effects at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of warfare. History has shown the [...]
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems in Contested Environments
A Vulnerability Analysis
By Lt Col
Andre
Haider
Over the past two decades, Remotely Piloted Aircraft System(s) (RPAS) have been fielded in increasing numbers across many nations and military services. RPAS provide distinctive capabilities for the Joint Force Commander (JFC) with reduced risk [...]
Forward MEDEVAC Challenges
The Italian Army Implementation Programme
By Lt Col
Andrea
Lopreiato
Current military operations have shown that medical support is a fundamental capability for an expeditionary military force. This operational requirement has been emphasised in theatres such as Afghanistan, where local medical facilities have been completely [...]
The Extended Air Defence Task Force
From Task Force to Competence Centre
By Lt Col
Jurgen
van Keulen
By Lt Col
Eric
Verweij
The Extended Air Defence Task Force (EADTF), comprising Germany, The Netherlands and the United States, was formally established on the 3rd December 1999 in Burbach, Germany. The principal reason for the formation of the EADTF [...]
Double Counting or Counting Double?
The Future of NATO’s Tanker Transport Fleet
By Maj
Chad
Taylor
NATO nations are in the process of a much needed modernisation of their Air Transport (AT) and Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) fleets, and in many cases, are choosing airframes that can perform both missions. For strategic [...]
New Technologies
Fire, Wheel, Steam Engine and … Nanotechnology
By Lt Col
José
García
“A number of significant technology-related trends – including the development of laser weapons, electronic warfare and technologies that impede access to space – appear poised to have major global effects that will impact on NATO [...]
F-35, The Backbone of Next Generation NATO Operations
By Air Cdre
A.A.H. (Tom)
de Bok
By Lt Col
Erik
van de Ven
To understand the F-35 as it exists today, it’s valuable to examine the origins of the program. In the early 1990’s, the United States Department of Defense launched a tri-service combat aircraft recapitalisation program called [...]
Air and Space Power in Counter-Piracy Operations
By Lt Cdr
Natale
Pizzimenti
NATO has been contributing military forces, mostly warships, to the Counter-Piracy (CP) mission off the Horn of Africa (HoA) since October 2008. Commanders at sea have made several strong appeals for more Air and Space [...]
Enhancing NATO’s Operational Helicopter Capability
The recent Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns have highlighted the unique capabilities helicopters have contributed to the asymmetric environment. However, whilst playing a decisive part in successful operations, it has become increasingly clear to commanders that [...]
Multinational Logistics
A Missed Opportunity?
By Maj
K. Jason
Hunt
By Lt Col
Kees
Pistorius
Logistics is of vital importance to any military operation. Without it, operations cannot be carried out or sustained. Most operations start at home base and use a combination of strategic, operational and tactical movement to [...]
Personnel Recovery
That Others May Live to Return with Honour
Throughout history, armies traditionally fought the wars whilst government officials, explorers and tourists travelled and worked all over the globe. During war, travel or exploration, individuals may have become isolated from their group, or the [...]
NATO Air and Space Power in Counter-IED Operations
Publication of JAPCC Primer
By Gp Capt
Dai
John
In recent years, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have increasingly become a feature of modern conflict, their ease of production using locally-available materials and deployment via support networks providing adversaries, unable to compete on conventional terms, [...]
UAS Integration into the European National Air Space System
A Status Report
By Col
Jay R.
Bickley
To what extent is debatable, but the fact that Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) will play a major role in the future is undisputed. As the roles, missions, and number of these systems expand, their integration [...]
