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Keeping watch over NATO summit

AFPN

Release Date: 11/21/2002

11/21/02 - STARA BOLESLAV, Czech Republic (AFPN) -- As NATO leaders gather in Prague Nov. 21 for a two-day the summit, members of an Air Force communications unit are doing their part to keep a watchful eye over Czech Republic airspace.

Members of the 606th Air Control Squadron, deployed here from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany are working hand-in-hand with their Czech counterparts to provide critical communications support for the national command center here. The team, comprising about 50 people, enhances NATO's ability to identify and prevent a terrorist attack over Prague during the summit by maintaining satellite connectivity to NATO's airborne warning and control system aircraft. They also handle phone lines, secure and non-secure tactical communications and a variety of other communications issues.

The satellite linkup they provide to AWACS gives Czech and American commanders a picture of the skies over Prague.

"We provide the combined air picture for the Czech airspace to the national command authority, said Maj. Walter B. Williams, 606th Air Control Squadron chief of maintenance. "Our guys are coordinating with the American pilots, and the Czech operators are communicating with the Czech pilots, but there's a lot of cross-communication, they're talking back and forth," he said,

Williams said that the Czech and American forces are all integrated, working side by side, so they get the same picture. He added that they compare the Czech picture against the AWACS picture to make sure nobody makes a mistake when identifying aircraft.

With security cooperation of NATO allies a priority, the Czech Republic and United States worked closely to integrate the command center. To make this happen, the Czechs gave air control squadron troops unprecedented access to their communications systems, allowing them to patch directly into their communications infrastructure.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers, Czech and NATO leaders visited the command center for briefings and a look at the facility. Gen. Gregory S. Martin, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, runs the control center during the summit, controlling the U.S. capability and working with Czech control to ensure synchronization of the air space over Prague.

At the request of the Czech Republic, the United States is also providing aircraft to assist in air defense over Prague during the summit, the first since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States. The Air Force is providing F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy; F-15 Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom; and KC-135 Stratotankers from the 100th Aerial Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom.

Getting to work with the Czechs and make the mission come together, Williams says that this important work won't soon be forgotten.

"Working with them as a team, it makes you feel like you're part of history," he said.