On 31 May, high-level representatives and experts from the Member States, EUMC and EUMS Staff, NATO Allies and Officials of the European Commission (DG MOVE), SJU, SDM, EASA, NATO and EUROCONTROL met at the European Defence Agency for the 8th edition of the SES/SESAR Military Implementation Forum. The meeting was followed by the first EDA Single European Sky Military Aviation Board (ESMAB) policy level meeting.
The aim of this year’s Forum was to share with a wider audience, in an informal setting, the main strategic issues with regard to Single European Sky. The meeting was chaired by General Fernando de la Cruz Caravaca of the Spanish Air Force. Mr. Umberto Rossi of the European Commission replacing Mr. Henrik Hololei, Director General Mobility and Transport, opened the discussion on the challenges and opportunities for civil-military cooperation deriving from the EU Aviation Strategy and civil rulemaking activities in the framework of Single European Sky.
The Chairman of the EU Military Committee General Mikhail Kostarakos then provided the vision of the EU Chiefs of Defence on SES/SESAR in the wider context of military aviation.
Finally, Vice Admiral Ignacio Horcada focused on NATO C2 needs in the wider context of Single European Sky. The discussion provided for relevant exchanges on innovative technologies to be considered in SESAR, taking into account global trends in civil and military aviation.
“The SMIF is a key opportunity for European air forces to come to a common understanding of key priority areas of the Single European Sky. Today also underlined the importance of a broad consultation and coordination between the European and Allied defence community as well as civil aviation. The SMIF reconfirms EDA’s commitment to the three-step consultation process with EUROCONTROL and NATO, to serve the need of Member States”, said Jorge Domecq.
The first EDA Single European Sky Military Aviation Board (ESMAB) policy level meeting then brought together representatives from the participating Member States, as well as Denmark, Norway and Switzerland, and a representative from EUMC. Experts collectively agreed on priorities with regard to the upcoming milestones for Single European Sky in the broader context of military aviation and to ensure the necessary national involvement up to the appropriate decision-making level. Concretely, experts discussed and validated among other things the SES Military Aviation Action Plan and the roadmap on Performance Based Navigation.
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