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General Jean-Paul Palomeros, Paris
Air Forces in Europe are in a deep transformation process while suffering from budget cuts French Air Force − its challenges and
commitments
by General Jean-Paul Paloméros, Chief of the Air Staff, French Airforce, Paris
First, I would like to thank the editorial staff of The European Security and Defence Union for this opportunity given to the French Air Force (FAF) to share its views on our future. Our air force, fully engaged all over the world and especially over Libya today, is passing through hard economic turbulence. This presents an occasion to address some of the common issues our European air forces are currently facing and the possible ways to deal with them. I will briefly present you with the current state of FAF capabilities and the transformation we are currently implementing following our 2008 White Paper. I will then expose the perspectives we envisage, especially in terms of cooperation.
A broad spectrum of missions While ensuring permanent air policing and search and rescue missions, French aviators have to manage crises in Libya and Afghanistan and simultaneously comply with other operational commitments in over a dozen different theatres of operation in the world. The challenge is real: with shrinking budgets, the path to prepare our forces for future challenges is very narrow. The FAF is today facing what I would call a paradox. First, we have set up rare and autonomous 3D capabilities such as: •SMRN GAEM (Strategic Medium Range Nuclear Air to Ground Enhanced Missile) •MALE UAV (Medium Altitude Unmanned Air Vehicle) •COMINT-ELINT •CSAR (Search and rescue) •GRAVES (Static Large Space Surveillance RADAR) •STORM SHADOW (the French version of a precision conventional long range strike) The FAF has been ensuring a 24/7 short delay air defence alert since 1964, even addressing slow and low-flying aircraft, with dedicated helicopters. By 2014, we will operate a fully renovated radar network, as well as enhanced autonomous satellite identification capabilities. This new command and control (C2) system will implement ACCS-ready NATO software. Eventually, C2 will be able to integrate our Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) systems, as soon as they are released into service.
Part of NATO I should mention here the FAF’s integration in the NATO Command Structure. We have in fact always been part of NATO operations and exercises. For instance, our 4 Mirage 2000 aircraft undertook 162 air policing missions over Lithuania from
General Jean-Paul Paloméros General Jean-Paul Palomeros has been Chief of the Air Staff, French Air Force in Paris since 2009. He was born 1953 in Paris and holds certificates from the French Air Force Academy and the UK Royal Air Force Staff College. In his career, General Palomeros, a fighter pilot, has gained broad experience in planning and commanding and in missions. Among others: 1995: Air assistant to the commander of the UNPROFOR, Ex-Yougoslavia 1996: Base commander, Cazaux AFB, 1998: Chief of the “General Plans and Studies” office, FAF HQ, Paris, 2002: Chief of “Plans, Programs and Assessment”, Joint Staff, Paris.
January to April 2010. When this article is published, they will be there again, for another 4-month mission.
Six year of success with the Rafale We have also been operating the Rafale for six years now. This combat-proven aircraft − in Afghanistan and today in Libya − appears to be the airman’s “holy grail”. It is our first truly multi- role fighter: from air-to-ground gun strafing to nuclear su per sonic cruise missile delivery (a unique capability in Europe) and with electro-optical imaging reconnaissance, ensuring its air-to-air protection.
Operation Unified Protector over Libya In terms of current operations and crisis management, the FAF is engaging six of its airbases and 30 aircraft for operation Unified Protector over Libya. To this we should add 3500 airmen and 80 aircraft of all kinds, including 30 fighters, permanently operating outside of France. The FAF is currently engaged in 13 countries around the world, from Japan to French Guyana, from Gabon to Afghanistan. Finally, I would mention the FAF backbone: our human resources. One famous French philosopher, Jean Bodin, used to say that wealth is nothing but men. It is a fact that innovation and a willing spirit can achieve much and can compensate technical weaknesses. That is the reason why transmission of expertise and know-how are of vital importance.
Loss of strength − the FAF faces some fragilities The most significant reduction involves our public affairs
reform, with a broad resource reduction plan engaged 3 years ago. This entails: • A cut in personnel of 25% (15000 airmen), leading to a target of 50,000 airmen by 2014 • A reduction by one third of our combat fleet to 270 aircraft • Closure of 10 out of 40 FAF bases In addition, the fragile global economic situation has a direct consequence: a slow pace of modernization of our ageing fleets. With rapidly increasing total costs of ownership, we should beware of winning easy battles today, by buying new equipment at attractive prices, only to lose them tomorrow, con sidering the very high support and maintenance costs. On the other hand, flying old aircraft also means taking greater risks. Finally, we have to face formation problems: we should be able to support both last-generation and 50-year-old equipment. I would of course highlight what I call the everyday “battle” for technical and logistic support. It is one we cannot afford to lose. This “battle” covers several aspects of strategic importance, such as the outsourcing debate, with a level of expertise we should retain.
The question of the “next war” French defence and security White Paper analyses lead to one conclusion: The world will remain uncertain and dangerous. Numerous emerging countries invest in aerospace power, with modern weapons and last-generation aircraft. Thus, the probability of a long and hard conflict, against well-equipped and modern air forces, does exist. We do not forget that the origins of our success in operations is to be found 15 years ago. Today, capabilities and “polyvalence” are the result of my predecessors’ decisions made in the 1990s. We have to build the air force we need not only to fight today’s conflicts, but also the ones of tomorrow and the days after. History tells us that lack of vision becomes a strategic liability.
The comprehensive approach I would add that we should continue to reinforce a truly efficient joint vision. For crisis resolution, a comprehensive approach is essential. Cooperation is the only way, as we are all facing the same threats and problems. I would add that cooperation is fostered by the economic situation, and that multilateral or bilateral cooperation has to make sense in political, operational and industrial fields. Indeed, everyone understands the need for a critical mass, yet we can’t do anything but cope with political agendas! In our field, progress implies stopping autosuggestion and getting rid of ideological taboos: step by step, pragmatic agendas and win-win strategies should rule. We also must not forget that interoperability is paramount. It appears to me that we must cooperate to: • optimize our existing capabilities, like Strategic Transport; • share very specific ones, like CSAR; and • develop new ones, like cyber warfare or UCAV.
Successful cooperation We have examples of cooperation that works, both military and industrial: the promising European Air Transport Command in Eindhoven, the AJets, which has been training European fighter jet pilots for 10 years now, the A400M support, METEOR, STORM SHADOW, etc. Our challenge is facing today’s wars and being ready to fight tomorrow’s threats. That is why we should define a leading guide and common concept on Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence and UAVs toward a common research, industry and military policy.
Challenges We should also be concerned about space warfare. One can regret it, but space has definitely been militarised since the very beginning, when Sputnik demonstrated Russian ballistic capabilities. I am convinced that European air forces have to develop coordinated strategies on satellite protection, to take one example. Concerning cost reductions and savings, the other main challenging threat we are all facing today, we should be careful about short term vision. Strategic programs need long-term strategies, and the bigger the investments are, the more stable their execution should be. Last but not least, real life has convinced me about the importance of local initiatives and innovation. Transformation will not work without the airmen: esprit de corps is all. Motivation relies on solidarity.
Conclusion Following the French Defence Review, French airmen are engaged in a deep transformation, working hard to hold their ground in long-term operations and fight along their traditional allies. We are trying hard to strike a balance between our commitments in current crises all over the planet, and our will to continue owning a complete range of capabilities needed in future conflicts. The beginnings of this century and the very recent weeks have undoubtly confirmed air power as an essential sovereignty tool. The professionalism, commitment and bravery of airmen have been plain for all to see. Not only is their involvement in operational theatres held in the highest esteem, but so is their support to help ease the humanitarian and natural disasters that too often occur around the world. So let us push our thoughts and minds further, not forgetting our past, but preparing next “big one”. That is the reason why the FAF is more eager than ever to cooperate and share experience with its allies. I am rather confident. History taught our continent that Europe can rely on the women and men of its air forces, not only to accomplish the mission, but also to imagine the future of air power.
7th European Congress on Civil Protection and Disaster Management
September 28 th and 29 th 2011 − City Hall, Bonn Bad Godesberg
www.disaster-management.eu
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News: CBRN Security
A European Network for CBRN law enforcement units On 9 June, the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted Conclusions on the creation of a European network of spe cialised CBRN law enforcement units as it was set out in the EU CBRN Action Plan. The Council invites the Member States together with the Commission and Europol to set up such a network to facilitate the exchange of information and good practices, organise joint training exercises and update them on the latest developments in this area. The Council called on the Commission and Member States to explore options for financial support for the establishment and functioning of this network. Full text of the Conclusions: > http://tinyurl.com/5wx5glf
OCCAR celebrated its 10th anniversary
On 1st June 2011, OCCAR (Organisation Con join - te de Coopération en matière d’ARmement) has celebrated the 10th anniversary of the organisation’s legal status with a conference named the “OCCAR 10 Year Event”. The event, organised together with the Ger man MoD, as Germany holds the Board of Supervisors’ (BoS) Chair manship for 2011, took place in the World Conference Centre in Bonn. In the pre sence of Mr. Schmidt, German State Secretary for Defence, Mrs. Arnould, newly appointed Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency and Mr Nimptsch. One of the important strands is Through Life Management (TLM), a concept that is in full development within the organisation and which will contribute to a high extent to the continued recognition of OCCAR as a centre of excellence in collaborative defence programme management.
AFCEA Europe welcomes a new General Manager
As of February 2011 AFCEA Europe, has a new head. Commodore Robert Howell, RN (ret.) was replaced by Klaus-Peter Treche, a former German Air Force Major General .
AFCEA, a non-profit association with an international membership of some 35,000 drawn from many nations, is represented in some 130 Chapters around the world. It is a community of communications and information technology professionals AFCEA’s interests include both military and civil aspects of C4ISR technology and its applications to crisis management, disaster relief, environmental protection and law enforcement, as well as defence operations. TechNet International 2011: In autumn this year the AFCEA Brussels office is running a major technical exhibition and symposium, in the Heidelberg Convention Center on 20/21 October on “Supporting NATO in the Next Decade”. For the first time this event is being or - ga nized in conjunction with the NATO C3 Agency’s “Industry Confe - rence” which will be held on 19 October > www.afceaeurope.org.
Poland will foster CSDP Karl von Wogau's European Security Foundation (ESF) held a mee - ting in Brussels on CSDP on 21 June 2011in view of the Polish Presi - dency. MOD Warsaw's States Secretary, Zbigniew Wlosowicz, under - pinned, that Poland will not only avoid that CSDP looses ground but will do the utmost to foster CSDP, coming up with new ideas and proposals.
Facing an Increasingly Diverse Threat
Nuclear weapons and missile programs pose a serious threat to the security environment in the world. Air attack is and will continue to be the main threat that most countries need to defend against. However, air superiority is expensive, logistically demanding and can never guarantee protection against the wide spectrum of emerging threats. GBAD (Ground Based Air Defence) is unquestionably the most cost-effective solution. MBDA Germany’s technical expertise has enabled the company to develop an impressive product range of GBAD systems to meet the wide range of potential airborne threats and to protect sensitive military and civilian assets as well as deployed forces. The fundamentals of effective GBAD defence are best understood by considering the range of threats, both existing and currently in development. These threats are typified by: • The proliferation of low cost, highly accurate precision guided bombs and missiles • The new generation of high-performance Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBMs) • Emerging and improving UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) and UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle) technology • Supersonic combat aircraft featuring improved stealth technology • High value targets such as ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) aircraft and airborne C2 (Command and Control) • Low altitude helicopters and cruise missiles using the terrain to conceal their approach
The diversity of threat calls for a mix of weapon systems in - cluding point defence systems to protect high value military and civilian zones such as airfields, port facilities and power plants, systems that provide area defence of military zones and civilian conurbations as well as mobile systems to provide protection for deployed forces or for large public gatherings at major international events.
MBDA Germany has over 50 years of experience in the design, development or logistic support of air defence systems. A ma - jor strength lies in MBDA Germany’s ability to provide throughlife, incremental enhancements to in-service systems as opera - tional requirements evolve. MEADS, PATRIOT, SysFla/LFK NG, STINGER, ROLAND and GEPARD are all examples of this customer focused approach.
MBDA Germany is bringing its air defence expertise to the new approach for structuring the future capability of the Bundes - wehr in the area of air defence (working title: LuftVerteidigungsVerbund 2020) which is to be defined by the end of 2011. Due to the superior capabilities the MEADS core system, On an Italian ARIS Prime Mover, the completed MEADS MFCR Transceiver Group has undergone rotation testing at 15 and 30 rpm
Photo: MBDA
The MEADS BMC4I Tactical Operations uses an open systems architecture that supports netted-distributed operations
Photo: MBDA
the MEADS components and the existing architectures and facilities are to be used further in a future air defence system. The system combines superior battlefield protection with new flexibility to protect forces and critical assets against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and aircraft. MEADS improves capability to defend troops and critical assets through improvements in range, interoperability, mobility and full 360-degree defense capability against the evolving threat. MEADS defends up to eight times the coverage area with far fewer system assets and significantly reduces demand for deployed personnel and equipment, which reduces demand for airlift.
