THE WATCH STAFF
Defense forces from Mexico and the United States have been honing their communication and air-intercept skills to protect their homelands by tracking simulated suspicious aircraft as they cross national boundaries.
Mexico’s National Defense Forces (SEDENA) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD’s) Continental U.S. Region and First Air Force, Air Forces Northern (AFNORTH) participated July 14-15, 2021, in Amalgam Eagle 21, a live-fly exercise. Both countries conducted flights along the U.S.-Mexico border to detect and intercept simulated threats.
“The Amalgam Eagle exercise is critical in maintaining air sovereignty across our shared border,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. William Betts, vice commander of Continental U.S. NORAD Region, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern. “The ability to quickly and efficiently share information between the United States and Mexico is one of the main objectives we accomplished during this exercise.”
The exercise was designed to improve the operational and communications capabilities between AFNORTH and SEDENA; conduct detection, identification and interception of simulated air threats through the exchange of information; continue working on communications protocols regarding aircraft transiting U.S. and Mexico airspace; and improve the interception and transfer of targets between Mexico and the U.S.
Representatives of AFNORTH, the 601st Air Operations Center, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Customs and Borders Protection’s Air and Marine Operations participated in the exercise, while representatives from Mexico included members of the Air Force, Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Control Agency.
“Both our countries maintain robust air-operations centers, with the ability to intercept and identify tracks of interest,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel O’Boyle, chief of exercises at the AFNORTH 601st Air Operation Center at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. “When we have an air track of interest transiting from one side of the border to the other, it’s in both of our countries’ interests to share information of potential aerial threats and assist each other in the successful identification or interception of that aircraft.”
Exercises such as Amalgam Eagle 21 are invaluable when it comes to developing the skills needed to defend the airspace over the border while respecting the sovereignty of each nation, he added. “Partnering with Mexico enhances our capabilities to defend the skies on our southern border,” O’Boyle said. “The capabilities demonstrated through exercises like this Amalgam Eagle assist in laying the groundwork for further military cooperation between our nations.”
IMAGE CREDIT: TOM SAUNDERS/U.S. AIR FORCE