Around the globe, civil aviation authorities and their military counterparts are increasingly aware of the need for cooperation in managing their countries’ airspace. On Wednesday, the FABEC OPS Theatre was the stage for a unique opportunity to hear just how crucial this cooperation has been to Poland and its northeastern neighbor, Lithuania. The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) presented a seminar titled, “Present and Future Civil-Military Cooperation of Manned and Unmanned Traffic in the Post-Pandemic World.” Speakers for this seminar included PANSA CEO Janusz Janiszewski, Lt. Gen. Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, Operational Command, Polish Army, and Saulius Batavičius of Oro Navigacija, Lithuania’s sole air traffic control, communication, navigation, surveillance, and information provider.
Starting off the discussion, General Piotrowski admitted that his presence may appear, “...a bit unusual at such an event, but I strongly believe that a new tradition will arise, and that we will strengthen our mutual civil-military cooperation. There is no other solution like a strong, multi-domain cooperation between civil authorities and the military command and units.”
Piotrowski educated attendees on the unique and growing security threats his country is facing, especially in terms of the immigration crisis happening on their border with Belarus, and what he described as, “the growing appetite of our very strong neighbor, Russia.”
As to the immigration issue, the General stated, “...it is of course, a violation of international law, but also a violation of our border. This is not only on the ground, but in the air.”
Gen. Piotrowski cited that while there have been roughly 500 daily incursions on land, there have been 20 to 30 aerial incidents. “This situation directly influences the security of the region, the eastern flank of NATO.”
Due to these threats and their responsibilities to both their country and NATO, as leader of the Polish military, General Piotrowski must carefully balance collaboration, not only with the Polish civil authority but with those of neighboring countries, citing projects they were working on with Lithuania as an example.
“We have had very good cooperation,” Batavičius said when asked how he felt about working together on projects with the Polish military. “Our teams are exchanging information daily to ensure military operations at the same time as civil operations, and to have these operations optimised as much as possible. As a very small country, and a small ANSP, we need to be very focused to ensure security and defence of our country.”
General Piotrowski admitted that one of the main obstacles to cooperation was one held by the military. “It’s mentality,” he said, “it’s a huge issue. The military is used to having its own airspace. Future forces will need to cooperate to find the appropriate solution.”
All participants stressed the improved situational awareness that comes when the military and civil airspace directors collaborate. “We prefer a model where all information will be integrated ... the same source, and open exchange of information,” Janiszewski said.
Asked as to what future goals should be, he replied, “Integration, cooperation, interoperability, and a common situational awareness.”