Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command, said missile defense system integration stays among the command’s top priorities, as it bolsters collective defense and supports NATO’s commitment to leverage high-end military capabilities for regional security and defense.
Speaking to reporters at the recent Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado, Hecker also disclosed the command’s four other focus areas, including information pooling, command and control and agile combat strategies.
In addition, the USAFE-AFAFRICA commander focused on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, such as the Ukrainian deployment of less costly acoustic detection systems and innovations in the development and use of unmanned aerial systems.
Hecker maintained that NATO remains “stronger than ever” and every step that the alliance and USAFE-AFAFRICA take is to deter adversaries’ aggression. Among the collective defense measures that the alliance has established is the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence system.
In a panel discussion of the symposium, Hecker stressed the strategic value of a strong NATO alliance and its readiness to win in combat when hostile situations arise.