Monthly Archives: June 2023

Special Edition Interview with the U.S Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (Series-2)

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Special Edition Interview with the Spokesperson of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) conducted by Editor in Chief, Catherine S. Schmidt

Q 1: On April 4th Finland became the 31 member of NATO Alliance. How do you see the Future of NATO with Finland and the upcoming membership of Sweden? And how that can strengthen even more the partnership of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFEAFAFRICA) with Finland.

USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: USAFE-AFAFRICA welcomes Finland to NATO. We have worked together in the past, and look forward to working together in the future, demonstrating our collective resolve as NATO Allies. We see a strong future for NATO and anticipate continued development of our interoperability and military partnerships.

Q 2: About 40 African nations participated in the 12th annual African Air Chiefs Symposium, sponsored by U.S. Air Force Africa, in Senegal from February 27 – March 3, 2023. Can you talk about this Symposium and the importance it represented?

USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: The African Air Chiefs Symposium is a multinational security cooperation initiative intended to foster more effective military relationships between participating nations. The symposium’s goal is to improve in areas that are affecting partner nations in attendance and across Africa. The event features a diverse range of workshops as well as cultural activities. The African Air Chief Symposium is hosted each year by a different member of the Association of African Air Forces. The symposium first started in 2011 in Ethiopia and had its last in-person event in Dakar, Senegal. AACS 23 focused on various small-group sessions to foster a spirit of collaboration, a senior enlisted leader forum, and cultural events to strengthen the partnership between all nations involved.

The 38 participating nations included: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda and the United States.

Q 3: In early February this year another important military event ‘Nordic Regional Engagement’ was held in Europe with the participation of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, NATO Allied Air Command, and most European Air Forces. Please elaborate on the objectives and the magnitude of this military engagement?

USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: Earlier this year, command senior enlisted leaders from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, NATO Allied Air Command, the Royal Danish, Royal Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish air forces participated in a Nordic regional engagement to Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. The two-week engagement provided a platform for the CSELs to discuss Agile Combat Employment across the Nordic nations, explore multinational, professional military education exchange opportunities and discuss the operational environment in the High North. In addition to discussing strategic importance of the NATO region, the engagement focused heavily on the development of the enlisted corps, specifically the non-commissioned officers in the four nations, as well as professional military education exchanges across the allied nations and partners.

Q 4: The U.S. military and the Spanish Armed Forces have a special partnership across the entire military spectrum, from EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta to NATO AIRCOM. Could we have your thoughts on this partnership and please discuss the Spanish Exercise Chasing Sol and the participation of the U.S. Airmen in this joint training?

USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: USAFE-AFAFRICA is proud to train with Allies and partners across Europe and Africa. Hosted by the Spanish air force, Chasing Sol is a great example of this. Members of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army in Zaragoza, Spain, participated in Chasing Sol from Jan. 23 to Feb. 3, 2023. The exercise was a bilateral flying training deployment between the 86th Airlift Wing and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing assigned to the U.S. Air Force, 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s 5th Quartermaster Company assigned to the U.S. Army, and 31st and 35th Tactical Airlift Wings assigned to the Spanish air force to increase readiness, responsiveness and interoperability between NATO allies. Chasing Sol, and other similar exercises, train and develop coordination between allies and partners to ensure a timely and effective response during peacetime and crisis.

Q 5: One of the greatest U.S. military accomplishments has been always in the area of Humanitarian Relief Operations worldwide in which the U.S. Air Force holds the lead. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in February 6th 2023 in Turkey, the U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa played a vital role on a large scale of Humanitarian Relief Aid Operations. Could you brief us on that?

USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: In response to the tragic earthquake in Türkiye on February 6th, the 39th Air Base Wing supported the bed-down of over 1,440 foreign military and civilian relief personnel who arrived at Incirlik Air Base for relief efforts. These personnel originated from more than 10 partner nations. Contributions from the 39th ABW also included the coordination, planning, and installation of a 100-bed field hospital in Hatay Province to help offset the 1,500-bed hospital loss as a result of the earthquakes. USAFE-AFAFRICA rapidly responded to the natural disaster with critically needed capabilities and life-saving equipment, delivering assistance to aid areas the government of Türkiye deemed most necessary. We worked in support of USAID, the government of Türkiye and our Allies and partners to provide significant relief to the victims impacted.

Additional: U.S. Air Force tankers moved to NATO’s Eastern Flank, strengthen collective defense, March 2023 

Acknowledgments: Image 1: A KC-46A Pegasus from the Command’s 514th Air Mobility Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker from the Mississipi Air National Guard’s 186th Refueling Wings refueled Polish F-16 from Powidz Air Base, Poland, March 28 2023 ©U.S Air Forces in Europe & Air Forces Africa/Air Force Reserve. The Interview is subject to Copyright Law. ©U.S. European Command/ U.S Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces in Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)/U.S. Army Europe and Africa /U.S Army/ U.S Air Force/ U.S Europe World Affairs.