Volume 23, No. 15 NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen 24 August 2007
During a flight on 9 August the German Photo Capt. Peter Verlande Minister of Defense, Dr. Franz-Josef Jung (front), took the seat of the Tactical Director and watched the E-3A’s role in NATO Air Policing. The Tactical Director for the flight, LTC Bernd Lorenzen (standing) explains the situation of the exercise scenario. During the exercise, the Component’s TCA acted as an exercise target simulating an airliner that has radio and navigational equipment failure. The TCA was then intercepted by two F-4F Phantom aircraft from German Battle Flight who provided navigational assistance and guided the TCA into an airbase in Neuburg for a low approach. After the flight Dr. Jung held a press conference in which he praised the E-3A Component and Joint Force Command Headquarters Brunssum for their role in fighting terrorism.
A NATO Mid-Term Milestone: 24 Hours Operations By Lt. Col. Bernd Lorenzen deployed four NMT airplanes and System (NATINADS) in northern faced with some problems and four crews from Flying Squadrons 1 Europe. It is envisioned that the E-3A challenges. But these type of problems The team E-3A Component and 3 to Forward Operating Location Component with its new NMT are normal at this stage of such a huge successfully demonstrated the (FOL) Ørland from 10 to 16 August. platform will continue to play a vital information technology project. Just ability to sustain a single 24 role in both commitments. Two of imagine how long it took for Microsoft hour-a-day deployed operation The Logistics Wing, the Information four missions from Ørland flew to to develop mature computer software, with the NATO Mid-Term (NMT) Technology Wing, and the Support Iceland to support Exercise Northern and they had billions of testers that modified system. Wing deployed expert teams in Viking. The two other missions flew helped them. These problems just support of this demonstration. In long-range surveillance missions all need to be properly managed and get As a milestone on the way to IOC Ørland the teams, together with the across northern Europe. fixed in the end. (Initial Operational Capability) for FOL staff, conducted Exercise MAGIC NMT, the E-3A Component was FUTURE 07 to fulfil this Exercise Magic Future went well, the Overall, the team E-3A Component tasked by Force Command to demonstration. planes took off and landed almost as has completed a major milestone of demonstrate the ability to sustain a This single 24 hour-a-day deployed planned and provided output to their our premiere project, NMT, which single 24 hour-a-day deployed exercise also supported the NATO customer’s satisfaction. However, as should enable us to cope with the operation with the NMT modified Exercise Northern Viking as well as the NMT system is still at an early upcoming challenges well until the system. The Operations Wing the NATO Integrated Air Defence stage, the team in Ørland was also middle of the 21st century.
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Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee visits the base
By Heidi Soerensen After the briefing Lt. Gen. Eikenberry proceeded to the flight Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry, the line for a demonstration, with Deputy Chairman of the NATO powered consoles, in one of the Military Committee, visited the NATO Mid Term aircraft. base on Friday, 10 August. He was An Afghanistan Operation welcomed in the morning by E-3A briefing was given by Lt. Gen. Deputy Component Commander, Eikenberry followed by lunch Col. Jelle Zijlstra who briefed with Component Leadership in Lt. Gen. Eikenberry afterwards the Officer’s Club. His previous Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry receives about the Component, its assets, assignment was Commander of explanation during the NMT aircraft tour. its personnel, its missions and its the Combined Forces Command – Photo André Joosten capabilities. Afghanistan.
AWACS visits Hungary for airshow and training
A chance in a lifetime: On photo with a Formula 1 racecar. Photo courtesy MSgt. Gerhard Nicht
By SMSgt. Johan Hijmenberg and military display. The airbase meaning goat, and ‘mét’, meaning Both air show days ended with near the city of Kecskemét hosted district. The goat can be seen also a race between the Bell helicopter The Squadron 2 deployment to a successful air show and an in the base symbol and its motto is ‘Cobra’, a HuAF MIG-29 fighter Kecskemét, Hungary from 10 to 15 enjoyable stay for the crowd and “Neither height, nor depth aircraft and a Red Bull Formula 1 August was a mixture of showing participating international crews. frightens us.” racecar. Despite that the racecar the AWACS flag and training with Due to the amount of participants couldn’t win against a MIG-29, the Hungarian Air Force. Besides involved, many of the crews, like The days around the air show it was a challenge to get the car the AWACS, many different types of the AWACS members, had to stay provided the opportunity to next to the E-3A for a photo aircraft were to be seen and visited. in hotels in Budapest, 85 kilometres conduct planning with the shoot afterwards. With power For the flying display teams from away. That meant, including driving Hungarian Air Force (HuAF). of persuasion, the deployment Patrouille de France and the Turkish time, duty days of 14 hours. A training scenario was commander Lt. Col. Ekkehard Stars showed their perfect displays made with special attention for Heinichen managed to persuade among several others. Kecskemét, the capital of Bács- Recognised Air Picture Support in the Formula 1 crew to do so. The Kiskun County, is situated in the Combined Air Operations Centre 5 result is a super photo for everyone Around 160.000 people visited middle of Hungary. Its name and weapons activity together with to take with them home and to join the two-day international air show originates from the word ‘kecske’, HuAF Grippen aircraft. with others.
Commander of, or endorsement by, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The appearance of advertising in Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Schmidt this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by NATO Chief, Public Information Office of the products or services advertised. Submissions are due seven days before publication and Capt. Richard Komurek may be edited for style and space. Send articles and classified advertisements to the NAEWF E-3A Volume 23, No. 9 4 May 2007 Editor Component Public Information Office (PIO), Postfach 433007, D-52511 Geilenkirchen, or base NATO Skywatch is an authorized, unofficial com- SMSgt. Johan Hijmenberg distribution Mail Stop 33. Call PIO at (02451) 632480 or fax (02451) 7936 or e-mail pio@e3a. mercial enterprise newspaper published under nato.int. For paid advertisements call Hub Durlinger Media at +31 (46) 452-9292 or fax +31 (46) exclusive written agreement with the NAEW & CF 452-9285. E-3A Component by Pollaert Mediacenter, Postbus 1234, 6040 KE Roermond, +31 (475) 370 280. Articles may be reproduced after permission has been obtained from the editor, provided men- Opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official views tion is made of NATO Skywatch. 4 NATO Skywatch 24 August 2007 AWACS deploys to Iceland for Exercise Northern Viking
Text and photos Headquarters Ramstein. The exercise “There were three F-15s and two Lacour, agreed that Northern Viking Capt. Richard Komurek was a large event for Iceland because KC-135s from the U.S., 2 F-16s and offered a great training experience the island country, which has no one P-3 from Norway. It was a really and excellent exercise support. Nearly 40 members of the military forces of its own, has been good setup for students getting “This Training Wing deployment Training Wing deployed to working to adjust its defense strategy their Basic Qualification upgrade to provided a robust and high level of Keflavik, Iceland from 10 after the closure of the U.S. military conduct intercept control and tanker training,” he said. “And the support through 16 August as part base in Keflavik and departure of U.S. control. Both the mission deck and we got from the Icelanders was of Exercise Northern Viking aircraft and personnel in 2006. the flight deck got great training some of the best I’ve ever seen for a 2007. The exercise, the first of Although Northern Viking was a because there was air refueling as deployed AWACS crew.” its kind in Iceland, included fairly small in size with about 300 well as interception and identification Another aspect of the deployment forces from the U.S., Norway, participants, 13 fixed wing and rotor going on. It was also a great chance that impressed Component members Denmark, Latvia and the E-3A aircraft and one patrol frigate, it to conduct Link-16 training with the was the beautiful and rugged Component. The objective for was big in political importance for Norwegian and U.S fighters,” He said. Icelandic landscape, with its geysers, the combined forces was to Iceland and also for the training waterfalls and thermal springs. The exercise the air defense, anti- opportunities it provided to Training Mueller was also impressed by the AWACS crews were fortunate to have terror and command and control Wing members who provided facilities and support provided in time in their schedule to explore capabilities of NATO forces in air surveillance and command Iceland. Iceland and they enjoyed long sunny Iceland. and control. It also provided an “Iceland seems to be a really good days and scenic sights such as the opportunity for the Component to place for further air surveillance and famous Blue Lagoon thermal pool The participating forces were conduct a demonstration with NATO link training,” he said. “They gave us and the nightlife of the capital city greeted with fanfare and media Mid-Term AWACS aircraft, which superb logistics, lodging and food…all Reykjavik, which starts around attention upon the opening day of also participated in the exercise by the support was great.” midnight just after sunset. the exercise. Distinguished visitors flying two missions from Forward included the Prime Minister of Operating Location Oerland. Maj. Kirk Stahlbaum from “We saw that Iceland provides Iceland, Geir Haarde, U.S, German “It was a very good small scale Operations Wing, who assisted fantastic scenery and food … and and other Ambassadors in Iceland exercise,” said Lt. Col. Hans-Ulrich the exercise by acting as a Tactical that not only the beer is blonde in and U.S. Gen. William Hobbins, Mueller, Chief of Mission Crew Director student for the instructor Iceland,” said Mueller. commander of U.S Forces in Europe Training Branch and the commander upgrade of Maj. Ignacio Lanzat and Allied Air Component Command of the AWACS deployment to Iceland.
U.S. Gen. William Hobbins, commander of U.S. Forcesin Europe and Steam rises from the volcanic landscape of Iceland, in the region near Keflavik. Allied Component Command Headquarters Ramstein, gets his picture taken with AWACS crewmembers in front of an E-3A aircraft.
(Left to right) Capt Mirko Naumann, Capt Georg Pfefferer and Capt. Manfred Sackert enjoy the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. One of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, the Blue Lagoon’s volcanic hot spring offers uniquely colored mineral water that contains algae and silica mud that are reportedly good for the skin. Care by VOLVO = Care for YOU by Auto Kallen Geleen
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The Ukrainian students enjoy their visit on to E-3A Component. Photo André Joosten By Heidi Soerensen
On 8 August the E-3A Component welcomed a group of 35 high school students from the Ukraine, accompanied by Petr Zlatohlavek, the Executive Director from the NATO Information Centre in Prague, Czech Republic. The background for this visit is quite an interesting story.
In 2000 the NATO Information Centre in Prague proposed a high school competition, called ‘Aliente’, with the overall purpose to publicize and enhance the knowledge about NATO in recent member countries. “This competition rapidly grew popular and today it includes all NATO countries and thousands of students participate in this prestigious international competition every year. Although originally a Czech project, it has developed into a truly multinational endeavour bringing together students from various countries and even continents”, says Zlatohlavek.
Recently the NATO Information Ukrainian students visit the Component Centre in Prague expanded the ‘Aliante’ knowledge competition In the first round of the knowledge test, more comprehensive installations all over Europe and to include the Ukraine. Since competition the participating essay writing and much more. more than 3,000 kilometres on the Ukraine is not a NATO member students were challenged with, Furthermore, a wide selection of road in an old Polish bus. their competition is limited only to among other categories, a NATO NATO briefings held by leading After the briefing and the E-3A Ukrainian students, but that does knowledge test and essay writing. politicians and even ministers were walkthrough you could feel their not mean it’s less extensive. The Sixty students made it through ‘the offered to the finalists enthusiasm and their eagerness that Ukraine has 46 million citizens and eye of the needle’ to the ‘Aliente’ showed in the qualified questions more than 20,000 high schools. The finale that took place in June On 8 August 35 Ukrainian students they asked. But they were not the ‘Aliente’ competition was held all 2007 on a Ukrainian Navy Base in visited the E-3A Component as a only ones being impressed that day. over the Ukraine, which is an area of Sevastopol. The finale lasted four part of their well-deserved ten- day While watching the last student walk 603,628 sq km, almost twice the size days and consisted of psychological ‘Aliente Winners Trip’. This trip out the main gate, we were very of Germany. and physical tests, extended NATO includes a visit to various NATO impressed too.
ORCAS international swim team
By Joseph Skerly eligible international school are eligible. By EFSL rules, the Orcas may The Orca’s Swim Team Fall Season also contain a limited percentage started 21 August and runs through of host country (German) children to 31 January 2008. We train three and/or Dutch children who are not nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday otherwise eligible. Please call or email and Thursday) from 1830 to 1930 for an Executive Board member if you the 10 years & under group and from have questions about eligibility. 1930 to 2030 for the 11 years & older From Gravel Pit to Lush Parkland: group at the JFC HQ Brunssum Pool Registration for the Season Willy Dohmen Park in the Netherlands. Registration forms can be found on our web site at http://www. We have 12 regular season meets geilenkirchenorcas.org. Please visit Text and photo A1C Florian Hüftle fruit trees, it’s an experience to walk scheduled, with five at home, six in the site and see what the Orcas are on the park’s paths. Fauna is also different locations in Germany and all about. Swimmers must be able Between the towns of represented in the Willy-Dohmen Belgium, and one ‘far away meet’ in to swim a minimum of 50m in a Geilenkirchen and Übach-Palenberg, Park: Carps, ducks, geese and herons Naples, IT. Additionally, we will be recognized competitive stroke. All there is a lovely place called Willy- make the park appear very lively. hosting the European Forces Swim registration forms must be turned in Dohmen Park. From 1953 until the League Divisionals meet at Brunssum, before swimmers will be permitted end of the eighties, it was a large But one of the highlights is and are planning to attend the EFSL to enter the water with the team gravel pit from which sand and the 7000 rhododendrons and Championships in Berlin, Germany for the respective season, to include gravel were taken in order to build narcissus that bloom from May with all Champs qualifiers. tryouts. streets after World War 2. After until September. The doors to the this economic use had become park are open the whole year round Who can join? All children age 6-19 Cost is €210 1st child, €180 2nd unprofitable, an entrepreneur named and there is no entrance fee. And of government civilian, contractor child, €150 3rd and so on. Willy Dohmen decided to cultivate after hiking the Willy-Dohmen or military personnel supporting the the area by planting acacias, oak trees Park (Hasenbuschstrasse 50, 52531 NATO mission at Geilenkirchen, JFC For further information e-mail and conifers. Übach-Palenberg) one can walk over HQ Brunssum and Schinnen Garrison Joseph Skerly at president@ Imbedded in hills and valleys to the nearby ‘Wurmtal-Park’ to have or students at a DoD, DND or EFSL geilenkirchenorcas.org filled with small-sized lakes and a cup of coffee or a piece of cake.
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