Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council facts for kids
The Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) is a special group for the air forces of five countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These countries are often called the "Five Eyes" because they share a lot of important information, especially intelligence. AFIC helps these air forces work better together. This means their planes, equipment, and ways of doing things can connect and cooperate smoothly.
AFIC was previously known by other names. It used to be called the Air and Space Interoperability Council (ASIC). Before that, it was known as the Air Standardization Coordinating Committee (ASCC).
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How AFIC Started
After World War II in 1948, the air force leaders from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States created a group. It was called the Air Standards Coordination Committee (ASCC). Their goal was to help their air forces work together better. They also wanted to make sure their aircraft could be serviced by each other's teams.
In 1951, the United States Navy joined this group. Later, the Royal Australian Air Force joined in 1964. The Royal New Zealand Air Force became a member in 1965.
One important job of ASCC (now AFIC) was creating special names for aircraft. These names were for planes from the Soviet Union/Russia, other Warsaw Pact countries, and People's Republic of China. These names are still used by military groups like NATO and other Western allies.
In 2004, the ASCC group was reviewed. Because of this review, it was reorganized in 2005. It became smaller and changed its name to the "Air and Space Interoperability Council" (ASIC).
In 2016, the air force leaders of the "Five Eyes" nations suggested changes for ASIC. They wanted it to be more useful for real-world operations. So, in 2017, ASIC focused more on air force cooperation. It also changed its name again to the "Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council" (AFIC).
How AFIC Works
The "Five Eyes" AFIC finds and solves problems that stop air forces from working together. They use the combined knowledge of all member countries. Simply put, AFIC makes the "Five Eyes" air forces stronger by helping them cooperate better.
AFIC does this by setting up special working groups. These groups deal with specific problems in "Five Eyes" air operations. These working groups try to create agreed-upon "Air Standards" (AIRSTDS). These standards can then be used in "Five Eyes" air force operations. They are also added to each nation's air force rules and guides.
AFIC also shares information about how the "Five Eyes" countries train and operate. They do this through "Information Publications". They also help countries lend equipment to each other for testing. AFIC also manages how different groups work together to achieve its goals.
AFIC's Leadership Structure
AFIC has a four-part leadership system:
- National Directors (NDs) are high-ranking officers (like generals) from each country. They guide the whole organization. They also approve the yearly plans and goals. One ND serves as Chairperson for one year, rotating among the nations.
- A Management Committee (MC) is based in the Pentagon. This group handles the daily operations of AFIC. They make sure the agreed-upon plans are followed. They also lead working groups and connect different parts of the Council. MC members are usually officers from each nation, serving for about three years.
- Working Groups (WGs) are formed for different areas of air warfare and support. They work on improving "Five Eyes" cooperation at a practical level. Each nation appoints a "Head of Delegation" (HoD) to represent them in the WG. They also have "Subject Matter Experts" (SMEs) who help solve specific problems.
- Each nation has a "National Program Manager" (NPM). This person is in charge of their country's AFIC program. They also help coordinate their HoD and SME support for the Working Groups. They provide support to their nation's ND and MC representative.
AFIC's Current Working Groups
AFIC has several working groups, each focusing on a different area:
- Agile Combat Support (ACS): This group helps air forces set up, run, and close airbases quickly. They focus on how "Five Eyes" nations can work together for quick airfield operations. They also look at combined basing and future support needs.
- Air Mobility (AM): This group deals with moving people, equipment, and supplies by air. This includes air transport, medical evacuations, dropping cargo or people from planes, and air-to-air refueling.
- Aerospace Medicine (ASM): This group covers all parts of aviation medicine. They share information and create standards. They focus on medical evacuations, training for medical personnel, and protecting aircrews.
- Airworthiness (Aw): This group makes sure "Five Eyes" air operations are safe. They also look for ways to help each other.
- Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS): This group works on improving how "Five Eyes" security forces protect airbases from drone threats. They focus on sharing tactics and equipment.
- Fuels, Lubricants and Gases (FLG): This group deals with providing aviation fuels and related products. They work on standardizing how fuels, oils, and gases are tested and approved. This includes sustainable aviation fuels.
- Operational Training Infrastructure (OTI): This group focuses on the resources and environments needed for training. They want to increase training opportunities between "Five Eyes" air forces. This includes live training, simulated training, and mixed environments.
- Combined Joint All-Domain Command & Control (CJADC2): This group aims to connect and enable "Five Eyes" partners for command and control in the air. They show this ability in wargames and military exercises.
What AFIC Produces
AFIC mainly creates documents that help increase how well air forces work together. These include:
- Air Standards (AIRSTD): This is a formal agreement between "Five Eyes" nations. It means their national procedures match specific military rules, training methods, or equipment. This helps them work together better in air operations.
- Information Publications (INFOPUB): These are created when there isn't a standard procedure between nations. However, it's helpful for "Five Eyes" partners to know about each other's best ways of doing things.
Groups AFIC Works With
AFIC connects with other groups that focus on military cooperation. They work together on important projects. These groups include:
- ABCANZ Armies Program (for land forces)
- ANZUS (links Australia, New Zealand, and the US)
- AUSCANNZUKUS (for naval forces)
- Combined Communications Electronics Board (for military communications)
- Five Eyes (the intelligence sharing network)
- NATO (Canada, the UK, and US are also part of NATO, so they work together)
- The Technical Cooperation Program (for military technology and science)
See also
