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Four military transport aircrews have graduated from the first edition of the European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course organised in 2015. The event was hosted by the Bulgarian Air Force in Plovdiv from 22 March to 3 April.

Crews from Bulgaria, Germany, France and Italy successfully graduated from the event upon completion of the course’s syllabus. A total of 29 sorties have been conducted, accounting for 50 flights hours. Four transport aircraft took part in the exercise, which involved academic training as well as live-flying missions of increasing complexity. Taking advantage of the deployment, France and Italy also conducted additional flight training on the margins of the exercise.

Improving interoperability

Initiated by the European Defence Agency and run by the European Air Transport Command, the EAATTC series of courses aim to provide air transport crews with a robust airlift tactics training syllabus in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. The next edition of the course, EAATTC 15-2 will take place 18-29 May in Orléans and will be hosted by the French Air Force. 

The EAATTC series of courses is one of the deliverables of the European Air Transport Fleet partnership, launched in 2011 by 20 participating nations under the framework of the European Defence Agency. 

More information

• Link to EAATTC 15-1 factsheet
• Story on the European Air Transport Command's website
• European Air Transport Fleet project page

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EDA Chief Executive Director Jorge Domecq travelled to Bulgaria today to exchange views with Bulgarian Minister of Defence Nikolay Nenchev on preparations of the European Council on defence in June 2015 and Bulgaria’s involvement in EDA projects. Mr. Domecq also met with Minister of Economy Bojidar Loukarsky for discussions on access to EU funding instruments for dual-use research and technology development, as well as the support of SMEs with economic activities in the interest of security and defence.

The Bulgarian Minister of Defence stated that “Bulgaria values greatly the significant role of the EDA for the development of EU Member States’ defence capabilities, the latter’s importance for EU’s role as a provider of security and stability. We encourage the proactive approach of the Agency in its successful cooperation with the European Commission in pursuit of better opportunities to stimulate Member States’ capabilities development and the strengthening of the European defence industry. We highly appreciate the will of the EDA to facilitate Member States’ access to European Structural and Investment Funds in support of their defence and security-related research activities and dual-use capabilities development.  We expect the Agency’s advice and support at all stages in the realisation of Member States’ capability goals for a stronger and more secure Europe.”

A strong and competitive defence industry

“Europe needs a strong and competitive defence industry. Not only for security and economic reasons but also to keep our strategic autonomy. One way to support the industry is by consolidating military requirements, by pooling the demand side. Strategic autonomy is also important to keep prime contractors in the European Union in the long run, as one of their main functions is to supply the armed forces. But the European Defence Agency also advises small and medium sized enterprises how to gain better access to the markets in Europe, i.e. through EU funding and market information. Hence, Bulgaria’s defence sector, taking into account the specifities of its defence industry as is the case for several Central Eastern European countries, could gain access to other supply chains in Europe”, said Jorge Domecq during the visit in Sofia.

During the visit, Mr. Domecq also had the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Economy, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Councillor to the Prime Minister on defence matters, as well as other senior officials within the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Finance and the Council of Ministers. Mr. Domecq exchanged views with representatives of the R&T community. 

The visit in Sofia is part of a series of visits by Mr. Domecq to all EDA Member States following his appointment as EDA Chief Executive and ahead of the Ministerial Steering Board on 18 May 2015. So far, Mr. Domecq visited Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, France, Romania and Bulgaria. 

More information

• News "EDA Chief Executive travels to Romania" (8 April 2015)
• News "EDA Chief Executive meets French Minister of Defence" (30 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq exchanges views with Irish Minister of Defence Simon Coveney T.D." (25 March 2015)
• News "EDA Chief Executive visits The Netherlands" (23 March 2015)
• News "Discussions on European defence in Portugal" (19 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq meets German Secretary of State" (19 March 2015)
• News "Belgium and EDA discuss future defence cooperation" (18 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq in the UK for cooperation talks" (25 Feb 2015)
• News "Latvia and EDA discuss cooperation opportunities" (19 Feb 2015)
• News "EDA Chief Executive visits Lithuania" (17 Feb 2015) 

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq met with Romanian Minister of National Defence Mircea Duşa yesterday to exchange views on the preparation of the upcoming European Council discussion on defence in June 2015 and Romania’s involvement in EDA projects.

“The EDA’s profile has grown constantly and today, the Agency is recognized as playing a key role in supporting Member States in their endeavours to develop critical military capabilities that enable the EU’s strategic autonomy in crisis management. We fully support the Agency’s activity carried out in preparation of the upcoming European Council on security and defence and we commend the EDA for its efforts to connect the defence realm with the other EU institutions and policies that have an impact on this domain. I cannot emphasise enough the importance we attach to EDA’s activities aimed at facilitating a deeper involvement of Small and Medium Enterprises in European armament programs, which should lead to a balanced, modern and competitive European Defence Technological and Industrial Base/EDTIB, to the  benefit of all Member States. Small and Medium Enterprises and their integration in the supply chain remain a constant preoccupation for us, for they represent the engine for economic growth and a key driver for innovation” highlighted Mircea Duşa, Romanian Defence Minister.

Romania is taking a firm European approach to defence cooperation and it is involved in several EDA projects. The Agency’s flexibility proves an asset for Romania’s national requirements as the EDA can also support regional cooperation, such as cooperation around the Black Sea region.

A strong European perspective

“The European Defence Agency advises European defence industry, i.e. in accessing EU funding for dual-use research. Our efforts are multiplied by the active support of the Romanian Ministry of Defence. These efforts have a strong European perspective. The competitiveness of the European defence industry as a whole is of utmost importance for our security, our economies as well as our strategic autonomy. The European Defence Agency is keen on taking the specificities of the Central Eastern European’s defence industry into account and to further enhance measures to facilitate their  access to supply chains throughout the EU”, said European Defence Agency Chief Executive Jorge Domecq in Bucharest.

During the visit, Mr. Domecq had the opportunity to meet with senior officials of the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Romanian defence industry. 

The visit in Romania is part of a series of visits by Mr. Domecq to all EDA Member States following his appointment as EDA Chief Executive and ahead of the Ministerial Steering Board on 18 May 2015. So far, Mr. Domecq has visited Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland and France. 

More information

• News "EDA Chief Executive meets French Minister of Defence" (30 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq exchanges views with Irish Minister of Defence Simon Coveney T.D." (25 March 2015)
• News "EDA Chief Executive visits The Netherlands" (23 March 2015)
• News "Discussions on European defence in Portugal" (19 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq meets German Secretary of State" (19 March 2015)
• News "Belgium and EDA discuss future defence cooperation" (18 March 2015)
• News "Jorge Domecq in the UK for cooperation talks" (25 Feb 2015)
• News "Latvia and EDA discuss cooperation opportunities" (19 Feb 2015)
• News "EDA Chief Executive visits Lithuania" (17 Feb 2015) 

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This article initially appeared in the 7th issue of European Defence Matters, the magazine of the European Defence Agency.
Click here to access the full digital edition

Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq… The Cold War aftermath has seen European armed forces engaged in a wide variety of operational commitments around the globe, vastly expanding the set of missions they have to conduct. “Nowadays, soldiers often operate among civilian populations in a set of missions ranging from emergency humanitarian relief to crowd and riot control, counter-insurgency and interposition between warring factions”, Jean Michelin, detached to the EDA as an intern from France and acting as Project Officer Engage, points out. But in these complex and demanding situations, the soldier on the ground can no longer rely on the sole use of his weapon if he wants to avoid a catastrophic escalation of violence; somewhere in the broad range of requirements that have fallen on the shoulders of modern armed forces, the need for non-lethal capabilities (NLC) has emerged.

Lessons from Kosovo

For western armed forces, the Kosovo conflict acted as an eye-opening experience in that regard. “In 1999/2000, we had to resort to using non-lethal capabilities during our mission in the city of Mitrovica, where Austrian units were deployed within German, British and French troops in order to prevent the escalation of riots”, Colonel Erich Weissenböck, Deputy Head of the Force Development Division in the Austrian Ministry of Defence, explains. “As soldiers were attacked with stones and explosives, they used wire barriers and other tactics to try and contain the threat. But eventually they had to use tear gas, shotguns and even snipers to stop the demonstrators”, he adds.

With today’s military experience from various theaters of operation around the globe, non-lethal capabilities could be regarded as a logical step forward for military expeditionary forces, especially when operating under the UN flag and the blue helmet – and yet, somehow, their development has been very slow. Currently, apart from the notable crowd and riot control era experienced by NATO forces in Kosovo, they are virtually non-existent in land forces across the globe, despite an identified shortfall. 

“To ensure that a potential threat doesn’t enter a protected perimeter, or to deter an angry crowd from approaching a compound, it often boils down to the use of the warning shot, which is most of the time impractical and dangerous, let alone can lead to collateral damage”, stresses Jean Michelin, who is also a French Army officer with significant operational experience. “Moreover, using conventional weapons in a non-lethal manner will usually deter a potential hostile action by an individual, but its impact on a crowd is less reliable, especially when there is a threat of violence escalation”, he adds.

Maritime domain

But land forces are not the only ones who might benefit from the development of NLC. The EU-led counter-piracy operation Atalanta conducted off the Somali coast has demonstrated the need for naval forces to neutralise potential pirates before they can attack nearby commercial ships. “In combination with audible or visual warnings, non-lethal weapons provide a stand-off with regards to the threat, thus allowing to identify the real intentions of a potential adversary”, Colonel Weissenböck details. 

With an identified capability gap on one hand and a proven operational need on the other, ten Member States (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden) expressed in October 2007 their will to set up a dedicated NLC project team under the framework of the European Defence Agency. Over the last seven years, and under a proactive chairmanship from Austria, the project team focussed on four main strands of work, starting with a development of a NLC concept by the EU Military Staff (EUMS), in synergy with similar efforts previously conducted under a NATO framework.

The project team also dealt with information exchange between Member States, so as to provide them with a forum to remain aware of national initiatives in terms of procurements, cooperation potential, interoperability as well as research and technology (R&T). The effects of non-lethal capabilities were also explored, with a specific attention on legal issues and the medical impact of NLCs.

Future systems © Austrian MOD

Perhaps the most visible output of the project team’s work in the field of NLCs, two R&T studies are conducted in order to assess technologies available for future non-lethal weapon systems. “Based on operational experience, a need for longer-range capabilities has already been identified”, explains Colonel Erich Weissenböck, who also happens to be the Chairman of EDA’s NLC project team. “Additional applications, such as the protection of vehicles and convoys, also need to be explored”, he points out. While one of the studies focuses on microwave-based NLC systems, the other explores optical and acoustic solutions.

These two studies help to provide a comprehensive picture of the current state-of-play regarding NLC technology development, as well as of the challenges arising in research. “For example, the technology to direct a non-lethal energy beam at a hostile individual already exists”, Jean Michelin underlines. “However, it is still far from the technology-readiness level needed to integrate it into a portable, easily deployable, autonomous and ruggedized device that would match basic operational requirements”, he adds. 

Equipment opportunities

Although it is still being discussed, the project team’s next step could be the identification of NLC equipment opportunities for Member States, as well as the definition of a set of common requirements based on the available technology and an agreed concept of operation. “This in turn could lead to the establishment of a common project whose exact scope will have to be decided by the Member States”, Jean Michelin underlines. 

The end objective is to provide European soldiers with a common tactical doctrine and even a common set of tools when it comes to NLC operations, thus greatly increasing their effectiveness and interoperability. But this will not be a quick win. “In contemporary operations like in cooperative capability development, the only lasting achievements require commitment, caution, time and effort”, the French army officer points out. “It is through small victories and determination that we will succeed in reaching our objective, however far it may seem.” 

More information

• Non-lethal capabilities
• Non-Lethal Micro-Wave State-of-the-Art (HPM)
• Non-Lethal Optical and Acoustic Systems (NLOAS)

 

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Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Czesław Mroczek, Secretary of State in the Polish Ministry of National Defence, visited the European Defence Agency today for discussions with Chief Executive Jorge Domecq. They exchanged views on the preparation of the European Council on defence in June 2015 as well as the cooperation between Poland and EDA.

During the meeting, Jorge Domecq confirmed his personal commitment to working closely with the Member States and thanked Poland for its involvement in some of the Agency’s flagship programmes: the Multi-Role Tanker Transport project, research on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, as well as the GovSatcom preparation phase. Poland is among others also actively involved in the Improvised Explosive Devices Detection Programme, SESAR and various industry and market related work strands. Mr Domecq and Mr Mroczek also exchanged views on support to defence industry in Central and Eastern Part of Europe and the importance of security of supply.

Jorge Domecq will visit Poland on 20 April on his series of visits to all EDA Member States.

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