A new cell focusing on the military implementation of SESAR - the European air traffic control modernisation programme – has been established within the EDA.
The Single European Sky (SES) aims at realising the optimisation of the airspace organisation and management in Europe through a combination of technological, economic, and regulatory efforts. SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) is the technical pillar of this. SESAR involves developing a new ATM system to handle more traffic with greater safety and at a lower cost. Its new technologies and procedures will also seek to reduce the environmental impact of flying. Although SES regulations primarily apply to civil aviation, military could be affected whenever flying out of dedicated and restricted airspaces.
EDA’s responsibilities in SESAR deployment
The SESAR programme is now reaching its deployment phase and EDA has various responsibilities regarding the military implications of the project. Since 2010, EDA has been tasked to support participating Member States in the identification of the military operational and financial risks expected with the implementation of SESAR. It has now been assigned a specific role to coordinate military views (CIR 409/2013) - by gathering input and requirements from Ministries of Defence (MODs). EDA could also enable MODs to access EU funds for collaborative projects.
How the new team operates
The new team called the SESAR Cell will provide in-house expertise and will coordinate with MODs to ensure that the military views and requirements are taken into account in the implementation of SESAR. The EDA will also work closely with the European Commission, the SESAR Joint Undertaking (responsible for SESAR Development), NATO and EUROCONTROL. A Management Committee - comprised of representatives from the 22 participating Member States will monitor the progress of the cell.
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