Approval for Deployment in NATO Planes Over Afghanistan

Jul 2, 2009

AWAC
Enlarge image
The AWACs aircraft are known as NATO's eyes in the sky.
(© NATO)

The German parliament has approved by a wide majority the deployment of German military personnel as part of the NATO AWACS mission in Afghanistan. The vote on July 2 followed by two weeks the decision of the Federal Cabinet to approve the deployment.

The many mountain ranges in Afghanistan make radar monitoring via ground-based units difficult. Additionally, air traffic has increased markedly in recent years. Therefore, the surveillance aircraft are urgently needed to provide more security.

Up to 300 German military personnel can be deployed. They will be part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The AWACS planes are stationed in Konya, Turkey. Up to four aircraft will coordinate the entire civilian and military air traffic. The Bundestag still has to agree to the deployment.

Prospects for the future

The German Federal Government is working for the reconstruction of civil air traffic control in Afghanistan. Among other measures, the current airport infrastructure is to be adapted and expanded as required.

Germany, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, began a project in April 2009 to expand and modify the airport in Mazar-e Sharif, a project to be completed by 2011. The reconstruction of the airport in Uruzgan, a joint project with the Netherlands, is about to begin, with completion scheduled for 2010.

Further projects are planned, especially the expansion of airport communications systems, which are also to be undertaken with partners. In addition, the German government is working on the training of air traffic controllers, security personnel and management.

© REGIERUNGonline

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