Page 65 - Williams Foundation Integrated Force Design Seminar

Designing the Integrated Force: How to Define and Meet the Challenge?

To the South, at Marham and Lakenheath, the UK and the US are shaping would clearly be an integrated
operational capability reaching to Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Flying the same ISR/C2/strike aircraft, the challenge will be similar to what will be seen in crafting the MDA
highway as well – how best to share combat data in a fluid situation demanding timely and effective
decision-making?

The UK is clearly a key player in shaping the way ahead on both, investing in platforms, infrastructure and
training a new generation of operators and maintainers as well.

In this sense, the UK-US-Norwegian-Danish-Dutch interoperability will be a foundation for shaping 21st
century security in the region.

It is as much about the US learning with the allies as the allies learning from the United States.

And at the heart of this learning process are the solid working relationships among the professional military in
working towards innovative concepts of operations.

This is a work in progress that requires infrastructure, platforms, training and openness in shaping evolving
working relationships.

The RAF is building capacity in its P-8 hangers for visiting aircraft such as the RAAF, the USN, or the
Norwegian Air Force to train and operate from Lossiemouth.

The Australians are building a very interesting structure to support their P-8s and Tritons.

The graphic below shows the overall facility being constructed at RAAF Edinburgh.

The P-8 and Triton integrated facility being built at RAAF Edinburgh, near Adelaide in South Australia. Credit:
Australian Ministry of Defence

At the heart of the enterprise is a large facility where Triton and P-8 operators have separate spaces but
they are being located within a unified operations centre.

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