Joining Forces Over Afghanistan: The EPAF “Experiment”

Quirijn Van Der Vegt

doi:10.31374/sjms.101

Abstract

From 2002 to 2003, F-16s of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force flew side by side in the hostile skies over Afghanistan. United under the wings of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF), a unique, trinational alliance, they represented their countries’ flying contribution to the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Each country deployed six F-16 fighter-bombers, together forming one squadron-sized detachment. In theory at least, the EPAF enabled the smaller European air forces to make a proportionally greater contribution to OEF than they could have done individually. By joining forces, the participating air forces made optimal use of their limited resources – a typical small powers strategy enacted by the three countries to overcome the structural limitations of their military capabilities in a long-standing allied arrangement. This article is a comparative study of the experiences gained concerning the cooperation between the three air forces and the interoperability of the EPAF detachment within the larger OEF coalition; its conclusion is that, although working within the trinational framework revealed differences on the political, military-operational, tactical-technical and personnel level, most of these problems were eventually overcome. All things considered, the EPAF did offer these smaller countries an instrument to demonstrate their solidarity with the United States and provide a significant contribution to the Global War on Terror, making it a prime “operational” example of effective small or middle power strategy to mitigate (combat) limitations in an asymmetrical multinational relationship vis-à-vis the United States.

Highlights

From 2002 to 2003, F-16s of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force flew side by side in the hostile skies over Afghanistan
The lack of diplomatic clearance, which kept the Danish F-16s grounded until 21 October and saddled the Dutch and Norwegian detachments with around 250 additional flight hours, was not the only surprise Denmark had in store for its European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) partners (Netherlands MOD, 2002, October 21; Netherlands MOD, 2002, October 27)
On 30 September, 2003, the EPAF detachment flew its last mission over Afghanistan

Summary

Introduction

From 2002 to 2003, F-16s of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force flew side by side in the hostile skies over Afghanistan. Flying reconnaissance missions, mapping out refugee camps and flows, the six fighter aircraft would, according to the government, contribute to the goal shared by the United States and other allies of causing as few civilian casualties as possible, helping the coordination between the intended military and humanitarian missions (Parliamentary Records, 2001, November 9) This limited role fitted in well with the cautious approach that the Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok had adopted in the wake of 9/11. In June, a reconnaissance team under Dutch command visited the former Soviet base to review the facilities and take stock of what could be taken over from the resident French and American detachments, which the EPAF contingent was to replace (Netherlands MOD, 2002, June 20) Their findings would form the basis for determining the exact size of the EPAF detachment, consisting of flight, technical and logistic personnel and six F-16s from each country, supplemented by a Dutch KDC-10 tanker aircraft. Denmark had the most restrictive rules of engagement (NIMH, 2003, September 3; Norwegian MFA and MOD, 2018, p. 174)

A Rough Start

Findings

Conclusion