EUROPE'S AIR FORCE SIX NATIONS UNDER A SINGLE COMMAND

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27055, 2 June 1953, Page 6

EUROPE'S AIR FORCE SIX NATIONS UNDER A SINGLE COMMAND

comprehensive tour of the aiT Tr °™ y organisation) nnt

Decisions taken by the lantic Treaty Council at its recent meeting in Paris stantial development of the air forces of the North Atlantic tion in western Europe. Offshore P™ curement orders were signed for 1200 iet aircraft and spares costing fl 00 000 000 including a record £53.500.000 contract to Britain or °^ r 550 land-based and naval fighte • Authorisation has been given - crease the number of airfields to 124, wWi 34 more in Germany. Plans were announced for a 2000-rnile system of pipelines from Continental P ort L. t 0 supply these bases with the great quantities of fuel they n ® e<i ' h tion is being exchanged abou; elec tronic equipment for air e^ence . __ It is little more than two years since Allied Air Forces, Central Europe created. What is surprising is not that there are still deficiences but that so much has been accomplished in so little time. When Ueutenant-General Lauris Norstad, of the United State Air Force, was appointed Commander-in-Chief, with the instruction to forge the national components allocatedJo him “into a single integrated force he inherited from the old Western Union organisation wholly inadequate resources for “full and continuous support of the allied armies in Central Europe, gaining and maintaining air superiority over the central area and the approaches thereto.’ The Common Pool

Since then, six nations—Britain, the United States, France, Canada, Belgium, and Holland—have committed steadily increasing air forces to the common pool, and jet fighter squadrons are now on guard to cover the entire area, extending from Jutland to the Alps and over the wholeofFrance and the Low Countries. Not the least remarkable achievement is that units and men from six air forces,, wi their different organisations, training, outlook, and languages have come to work together closely and harmoniously. Today there is complete integration all the way from headquarters staffs to the forces in the field. General Norstad set up his headquarters at Fontainbleau on April 2, 1951 and a few months later two Allied Tactical Air Forces were m being— a combined British-Belgian-Dutch 2nd Tactical Air Force in the northern sector and an American-French-Canadian 4th Tactical Air Force in the southern. In September of that year the British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany were renamed the 2nd Tactical Air Force and became the basic formation of this force. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Foster, who took over command of the K.A.J?. in Germany a month later, was command of the allied air forces in the northern sector. General u. Strother, head of the United States 12th Air Force, the main part or the 4th Tactical Air Force, has a simitar command in the southern sector. The 2nd Tactical Air Force consists of a combined Dutch-Belgian 69 Group, which is responsible for Lowlands air defence, and two tactical gf OU P s 'T' t “ e R.A.F.-Dutch Group and the R-A.F.-Belgian 83 Group. Strothers command embraces the United States 12th Air Force, two Canadian wings (which will eventually become an air division of 12 squadrons), and the Ist French Air Division. Allied Air Forces. Central Europe, has recently created an Air Defence Division which, in the event of war, would become an international fighter force charged with the defence of the rearward areas and lines of communication. Its primary function in peace time is liaison with the national authorities of France, Belgium, and Holland, and with R.A.F. Fighter Command in the United Kingdom, to coordinate planning. France has its own equivalent of R.A.F. Fighter Command, the Defense Aerienne du Territoire, and at the head of the new Air Defence Division is Colonel R. Destaillac, who was Deputy Commander of the D A T. until recently. Should Germany ratify the European Defence Treaty and the Luftwaffe be reformed, it would become part of Allied Air Forces, Central Europe. American Commands On the northern flank of the area are the air forces of Norway and Denmark; on the southern flank is the Italian Air Force. Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Saunders, who is the Air Deputy at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers in Europe, near Pans, pays frequent visits to the air forces in all the N.AT.O. countries. There are autonomous American commands controlled by United States Air Forces, Europe,, and in the event of war the tactical air forces on the Continent would have the assistance of R.AF. and United States bomber forces based in the United Kingdom and American bombers stationed in the Mediterranean area. Each of the two Allied Tactical Air Forces has combined headquarters on the staffs of which the component air forces are represented, and each has a combined tactical air control centre, somewhat similar to the control room at R.A.F. Fighter Command Head-

quarters. These centres are manned throughout the 24 hours and plot a n aircraft movements in their sector Steady improvement has been made in the communications system linkin* up the widely separated units. * Although it is not as comprehensive or as modern as it will become, there have also been great improvements in the radar screen round the periphery of the area of the Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Equipment which ex-’ isted in small, isolated “pockets” under different control has been linked together, and the skilled men required to operate and maintain it are gradually becoming available. Some progress has been made in developing an equivalent of Britain’s Royal Observer Corps, particularly in Belgium and Holland, but until it is stronger there must be chinks in the aircraft report, ing system. Below Strength The aircraft strength of Allied Air Forces, Central Europe, has grown in both numbers and quality, particularly in the last year or so, but in both respects it still falls short of requirements. Only recently have Sabre swept-wing fighters been available to supply the long-needed interceptor fighter cover at high altitude. The Canadians now have two Sabre wings on the Continent, one near Metz and the other at Zweibrucken, in Germany, a third will be sent this summer to Germany, and next year the Ist RCA.F. Sabre wing will be trans, ferred from the United Kingdom to Marville, in France. United Statee Sabres have recently joined the FB4 fighter-bomber wing at the new Ger. man base at Landsthul, and the R.A.P. has at Wildenrath, in the northern sector, the first few of the 300 to 400 Canadian-built Sabres being supplied for west European defence. These have not come along at quickly as had been hoped; the sama applies to the Venom day fighterj which are supplementing the older Meteors and Vampires. The only night fighters in service are the R.A.F.’t Meteor NFU, but reinforcements are , planned. The number of transport ’ aircraft available to Allied Air Forces, Central Europe, is adequate for normal conditions, but would need substantial strengthening in an emergency. Construction of airfields is keeping in step with the expansion of the forces to use them. Because some of, the existing airfields were regarded as being too far forward, others are being built behind the Rhine. New bases are being constructed to a stan- , dard N.A.T.O. pattern, with 2700-yard runways which are ample in length and bearing strength for any modern aircraft, fifty of these standard airfields already exist, and very impressive they are, with their comprehensive buildings and amenities. At } Wildenrath. where the R.A.F. has its Sabre conversion unit, the Germans , have hewn a vast base out of a forest in just over a year, cutting down 1,000,000 trees in the process. Much the same has happened at Landsthul, where a stretch of the Autobahn is available for use as an emergency landing strip; there are five hangars, a miniature township of buildings, and 1300 married quarters for the use of the American fighter-bomber and fighter squadrons. Other airfields are being extended and modernised. Flying over Western Germany a traveller becomes accustomed to the sight of airfields seemingly every few miles. The British Share Now that Hunter and Swift sweptwing fighters. Javelin delta-wing allweather fighters, and Canberra tactical bombers and photographic recoonaissance aircraft are being given pre- ■ cedence in production, the R.A.F. | element in Allied Air Forces, Central Europe, is looking forward to the replacement of its older equipment. The British contribution is already substantial. both in the field and on the headquarters staffs. During the past year its strength on the Continent has been doubled, and considerable further reinforcement is planned. Like, other sections of the R.A.F.. the 2nd Tactical Air Force has shortages of skilled manpower in certain key ' trades. Throughout the Allied air forces in western Europe a start has been made with the standardisation of equipment to increase the mobility of squadrons ■ by enabling them to operate from any airfield in the four countries, irrespective of what aircraft normally occupy it. It is doubtful whether complete standardisation can be attained, because of the multiplicity of aircraft types in use, but by the employment ’ of ingenious adaptors much has been done to overcome initial difficulties. The fusion of the national air components has been made easier than it might have been by adopting English as the common language for all operational procedures, by using common techniques, and by continuous joint training. An American Congressman who recently toured the Allied Air Forces, Central Europe, area summed up the current situation neatly when he said that it showed “tremendous progress and staggering problems.” The : foundations have been well laid; it now remains to complete the super- I structure.