Air Dominance Center stands up at RAF Lakenheath

  • Published
  • By Capt. Beth Horine
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (USAFENS) --  U.S. Air Forces in Europe will open the first Joint and Combined Air Dominance Center of Excellence in the world here Oct.1.

The center will leverage existing theater air dominance forces and air-to-air nodes of expertise and use these as a springboard to centralize and sharpen the theater’s focus on joint and combined air dominance, said Lt. Col. David Slade, the JCAD CoE commander.

“It also allows us to strengthen allied, Partnership for Peace, and coalition air dominance understanding, as well as lead to more effective U.S. and NATO theater air dominance operations,” said Colonel Slade.

The 48th Fighter Wing serves as the JCAD CoE’s host unit and will provide the support required for execution of the new mission.

The JCAD CoE will demonstrate practical application of air dominance concepts to include alert posturing, force generation, command and control, identification and kill chain effects assessment, according to the USAFE programming plan for the new organization.

“Through enhanced teamwork, advanced academics, doctrine development, tactical concepts crosstalk and in-flight training, the center will ensure our warfighters’ continued dominance of air and space,” said Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, USAFE commander.

The center also serves as U.S. European Command’s focal point to develop joint and combined air dominance requirements, operational doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures across U.S. EUCOM’s joint and combined forces and areas of responsibility.

“The center will leverage existing theater air dominance forces and air-to-air nodes of expertise and use these as a springboard to centralize and sharpen the theater’s focus on joint and combined air dominance,” said Colonel Slade.

To many, air dominance means fighter aircraft engaging and destroying enemy air forces, but air dominance may also be accomplished by reducing or eliminating the enemy’s access to technology, such as their GPS receivers or radio frequencies through space-based assets, said Maj. Howard Redd, JCAD CoE director or operations.

In addition to doctrine and plans development, the center will also conduct academic training and host invitational flying meets, both at RAF Lakenheath and other locations across the European theater.

“What we are developing is a school where students from the United States, England and other NATO and Partnership for Peace countries will be taught how to gain and maintain control of the aerial battlespace,” said Major Redd.

According to the major, by teaching air dominance fundamentals, integrating with U.S and coalition air defenses, and learning about joint command and control capabilities and assets, the center will give students a broad base of knowledge to take back to their respective countries.

“This will not only help integrate NATO air forces, but help integrate service-specific air forces with Army, Navy, space and even special operations forces,” said Major Redd.

“We look forward to having instructors from our experienced NATO member countries as a way of developing new ideas through daily conversations and related experiences,” he added. “And a few times a year we’ll be taking the class on the road and go to some countries that may not have the ability to get out to England. This allows us to see first-hand how other countries operate, to see their strengths and any limitations.”