NATO approves E-3A AWACS aircraft deployment to support fight against Daesh

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World Defense & Security News - NATO
 
 
NATO approves E-3A AWACS aircraft deployment to support fight against Daesh
 
NATO defense Ministers on Thursday agreed to provide NATO AWACS surveillance planes in the fight against the Islamic State, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. He said they supported the U.S. request for alliance surveillance aircraft in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq at the ministerial meeting.
     
NATO approves E 3A AWACS aircraft deployment to supportfight against Daesh 640 001A NATO E-3A AWACS surveillance aircraft
(Credit: NATO)
     
We agreed in principle to use NATO AWACS surveillance planes to backfill national AWACS capabilities,” said Mr. Stoltenberg. He noted that this decision will increase the coalition’s ability to “degrade and destroy the terrorist group ISIL, which is our common enemy.


The U.S. has requested the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft join the U.S.-led coalition's fight.

NATO currently has 16 E-3A AWACS aircraft, with 12 currently operating. According to the organization, the aircraft are based primarily out of NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, but can also operate out of Component Forward Operating Bases in Aktion, Greece; Trapani, Italy; Konya, Turkey; and Oerland, Norway.