ATO is in the early stages of developing a “full slate Chinese menu” of airpower Ncapabilities, said US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Commander Gen. in A p r l February. This arsenal will be avail-

A p able to support NATO’s newly formed Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) commander. The task force was formed in part to provide assurance to Eastern European NATO states worried about Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. It is intended to serve as a “responsive, ready, and fit” force that can quickly respond to crises when they arise, said Gorenc. Seven NATO members—Esto- nia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia—were under Soviet domination during the and today share land borders with either Russia or Ukraine. The spearhead force, which NATO ministers first agreed to during the 2014 Wales Summit and officially approved in early February, will primarily be made up of troops based in Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, although

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38 / April 2015 Bolstering Europe By Amy McCullough, News Editor all 28 Alliance countries will contrib- The funding also will be used to Spangdahlem in far-western Germany ute to the effort. Gorenc said NATO cover the operation and maintenance for their six-month rotation, they will officials are still trying to determine cost “that will accommodate training” deploy several times to Eastern Europe exactly how the force will operate and as well as participation in NATO ex- in support of “a whole string of exer- what it will look like. ercises. “That money was timely. That cises” that are part of Atlantic Resolve. money was ... focused, and that money For example, the A-10s will support VIVID REMINDER will allow us to contribute air into the a detachment of Army soldiers training Regardless of its makeup, the force reassurance effort,” said Gorenc. in Poland, as well as exercises in Bul- must be able to address the concept of A big part of that reassurance effort garia and Romania. The combination “hybrid warfare” that Russian President is the introduction of theater security of A-10s with ground forces require- Vladimir Putin has evoked in Crimea packages in Europe. Some 300 airmen ments “is advantageous to everybody,” and eastern Ukraine, “to introduce am- and 12 A-10 Warthogs from Davis- said Gorenc. biguity into the situation,” said Gorenc. “That ambiguity, I think, was designed to take away the asymmetric advantage that airpower brings.” The continued buildup of Russian USAF is moving to counter Russian forces in and around Ukraine serves as a “vivid reminder” that the Air Force aggression and uncertainty. needs to maintain a “very high level of readiness” in Europe, said Gorenc. The Fiscal 2016 budget provides just under $1 billion for the European Reassurance Initiative, which funds an increase in Monthan AFB, Ariz., deployed to the “The Air Force has been rotating NATO deployments meant to counter at Spangdahlem AB, forces as a part of [Operation Atlan- Russia. Of that, the Air Force will get Germany, in mid-February, marking the tic Resolve] for the past year,” said “roughly” $300 million, to be used Air Force’s first European TSP. USAFE -AFAFRICA Vice Commander to improve airfields in the Baltics, The theater security package will Lt. Gen. Noel T. “Tom” Jones in a Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania, said support Operation Atlantic Resolve—a release. “The TSP is another way the Gorenc. demonstration of the US’ commitment Air Force is increasing [its] rotational “In my NATO air command hat, what to NATO and to maintaining security presence in Europe to reassure our allies we’re trying to do is really agnostic to in the region—conducting training and partner nations that our commit- airframes,” he told Air Force Magazine alongside NATO allies across Europe. ment to European security is a priority.” in a February interview at the Air Force Although USAFE-AFAFRICA re- Gorenc said the command will con- Association’s Air Warfare Symposium quested fighter support, not specifically tinue to request fighter support through in Orlando, Fla. “We’re trying to figure A-10s, for the first TSP, Gorenc said TSPs to support Atlantic Resolve mis- out the exact air effects that the VJTF the deployment is “a match made in sions. Whether those rotations will be would expect, ... but one thing that’s heaven.” back-to-back and what assets will be pretty clear is, air will be a big part of it.” Now that combat operations have made available is yet to be seen. “Those projects are modest, but [they ended in Afghanistan, many European “I would imagine the emergence of are] directly designed to be able to al- allies and partners are back home and Russia and the way they are acting out low that airfield to support an increased have joint terminal attack control- in the Ukraine will give it reasonable sortie generation capability, so we’re lers who require training. Although priority, and I think we’ll be reasonably very, very excited about that,” he said. the Warthogs will be based out of successful,” he added. J

Top: Two A-10s taxi on the flight line at Center: SSgt. Christopher Pridgen, a Bottom: USAF and Estonian airmen Lajes Field, , , in Febru- crew chief, salutes an F-16 pilot on the board a US C-130J for parachute train- ary. The A-10s are deployed as part ramp at Souda AB, Greece. Greece is ing during Saber Strike, a multinational of the security package supporting a NATO partner nation in Operation exercise in the Baltics aimed at train- Operation Atlantic Resolve. Atlantic Resolve. ing for contingencies in NATO nations.

AIR FORCE Magazine / April 2015 39