RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Airmen operate across three continents, covering more than 19 million square miles and 104 independent states.
To put it simply: the command conducts air operations from the Arctic to the southern tip of Africa.
Throughout this vast area of operations, one common theme remains the same: global deterrence.
“Our presence from the Arctic to Africa strengthens relationships with our allies and partners while sending a message to any adversary that we are committed to collective defense and ready to respond in a complex security environment,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, USAFE - AFAFRICA commander.
USAFE operations in the Arctic
Recently, the U.S. Air Force released its Arctic strategy and outlined its four lines of effort. USAFE has a vested interest in the third line of effort, “Cooperation with allies and partners.”
“Cooperation, partnership and trust are key components to regional security. The Arctic region is vitally important and provides our Airmen with exceptional airspace to operate in as we fly and learn from our allies and partners,” said Harrigian. “Interoperability is key, learning from one another and integrating our air forces is critical if we have to go into combat together as a unified force.”
Overall, the USAFE mission in the Arctic is similar to the Department of Defense’s mission: defend the homeland, compete when necessary to maintain favorable regional balances of power, and ensure common domains remain free and open.
Although USAFE does not have any bases in the Arctic, through bi-lateral and multi-lateral exercises with partner nations USAFE is able to accomplish its mission set.
Last year, 140 aircraft and 4,000 military personnel from nine nations participated in Arctic Challenge Exercise 19, which is a biennial Nordic aviation exercise that serves to amplify scenario-based defensive training and interaction between countries across northern Europe.
During the duration of the exercise, U.S. forces and forces from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom flew approximately 1,600 sorties.
Together, the participating countries planned large multinational air operations and as many as 100 combat aircraft were in the exercise airspace simultaneously.
“Our friends in the Arctic region possess highly technological and interoperable militaries, making them exceptional partners,” said Harrigian. “By continuing to develop our strategic relationship through combined activities like agile combat employment, we support a unified strategy, enhance our unity of effort and support collective defense and deterrence.”
In addition to participating in exercises like this, USAFE also conducts overflights in allies and partners airspace as well as in international airspace such as the Icelandic Air Policing and Surveillance mission.
Although Iceland does not have its own air force to maintain its airspace, NATO sends fighter aircraft to the country on a rotational basis, to include aircraft from the U.S., to protect its airspace.
“The world expects that NATO and the U.S. continue to execute our mission with decisiveness, regardless of any external challenge,” said Harrigian. “Missions like these provide us an opportunity to assure our allies while sending a clear message to any adversary that no matter the challenge, we are ready.”
AFAFRICA operations in Africa
In Africa, the AFAFRICA mission is to forward project power across air, space and cyber domains, defend U.S. interests, demonstrate warfighting readiness, and forge strong partnerships in support of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.
“The effort of AFAFRICA to improve interoperability and build partner nation capability sends a clear message to violent extremist organizations, and more broadly to Russia and China that we are competing, we are engaged, and we have high situational awareness of what is going on across Africa,” said Harrigian. “And our continual presence on the continent reassures our allies and reminds our adversaries that we can be here quick, and we can be here with strength.”
The 435th Air Expeditionary Wing is the only AFAFRICA wing with a continuous presence on the continent.
“Our Airmen work alongside our European allies as well as our Nigerian and Kenyan partners to improve interoperability, build partner capabilities to counter violent extremist organizations and maintain security,” said Col. Daniel Clayton, 435th AEW commander.
In February 2020, Forces Armées Nigeriennes (Niger Armed Forces) personnel graduated from a small unit tactics and operations course facilitated by U.S. Air Force air advisors during a ceremony at Nigerien Air Base 201, Niger.
During the eight-week course, the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Nigerian AB 201, Niger, air advisors taught 50 FAN members the skills necessary to operate in a combat environment, better preparing the personnel for situations they could face once deployed to deter violent extremist organizations in the region.
“To strengthen regional stability, our forces train, advise, and learn from our African partners,” said Clayton. “The aim is for our partners to successfully plan, coordinate, and execute security operations and ultimately eliminate VEOs throughout the continent.”
AFAFRICA also conducts partner capacity building initiatives that establish and build on African partner capacity in niche aviation competences like airlift, air-to-ground integration and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
An example of an initiative is the African Air Chief Symposium, an annual AFAFRICA-led event that brings together air chiefs from dozens of African states to foster cooperation and interoperability on issues of interest to the collective chiefs.
“When we bring together this many delegates from across our African partner nations, it is an incredible opportunity to discuss best practices for enhancing partner capability,” said Harrigian. “Together we stand shoulder to shoulder to assist each other in bringing stability and security to the region.”
USAFE – AFAFRICA is global deterrence
Through its wide mission sets, USAFE – AFAFRICA will continue to deter adversaries and strengthen relationships with its allies and partners from the Arctic to Africa.
By continuing to do so, USAFE – AFAFRICA will continue to project USEUCOM’s and USAFRICOM’s global reach and deterrence, anytime and anywhere within the 19 million square mile-AOR.