The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) teamed up with the Mexican Air Force to conduct AMALGAM EAGLE 17, a joint tactical exercise held from July 11-14, 2017. This significant live-fly exercise was designed to bolster collaboration and communication between the United States and Mexico in safeguarding their shared airspace.
Enhancing North American Airspace Security
AMALGAM EAGLE 17 simulated a scenario involving an aircraft suspected of illicit activities traversing the airspace of both Mexico and the United States. The exercise provided a valuable platform for the Mexican air force and its U.S. counterparts to practice and refine their joint response protocols. The core aim was to enhance mutual warning systems and information sharing, ensuring a coordinated and effective reaction to any illicit aerial activity crossing the border.
This exercise was critical for strengthening the operational relationship between the Mexican air force and key U.S. agencies. Participants from the United States included representatives from NORAD, USNORTHCOM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). On the Mexican side, the exercise saw active participation from members of the Mexican air force, the country’s civil aviation authority, and their air traffic control agency.
Key Objectives of AMALGAM EAGLE 17
The AMALGAM EAGLE 17 exercise was structured around several key objectives, all aimed at improving the joint operational capabilities of the participating forces:
- Improved Situational Awareness: To enhance operational and communication capabilities between NORAD, USNORTHCOM, and the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA). This aimed to create a unified operational picture of the continental air domain, allowing for better shared awareness of airspace activities.
- Effective Air Interdiction: To utilize intelligence in conducting operations and air interdiction against airborne targets deemed suspicious, illicit, or potentially threatening. This involved practicing the procedures for identifying, tracking, and responding to potentially hostile aircraft.
- Timely Mutual Warning System: To share operational information effectively, enabling a rapid and mutual warning system between the two nations. Quick and reliable information sharing is crucial for effective border security and response to aerial threats.
- Streamlined Communication Processes: To develop and implement clear communication processes at strategic, operational, and tactical levels regarding illicit aircraft operating in U.S.-Mexico airspace. Establishing robust communication channels at all levels ensures seamless coordination during real-world events.
- Joint Response Procedures: To implement and validate response procedures and protocols between military and civil authorities from both countries in the event of a suspicious, illicit, or threatening aircraft moving between U.S. and Mexican airspace. This encompassed the full spectrum of response actions, from initial detection to potential interception and resolution.
Practical Exercise and Validation
The AMALGAM EAGLE 17 exercise involved actual flights by various aircraft equipped for detection and interception. Observers were deployed to strategic locations in both Mexico and the United States to monitor and evaluate the exercise in real-time. A significant component was the validation of communication channels, ensuring they were effective and reliable for rapid response and information exchange. This validation process was crucial for enhancing reaction times and solidifying the links between all participating entities.
It is important to note that the planning and execution of AMALGAM EAGLE 17 were conducted with full respect for the national sovereignty of both participating countries. This exercise serves as a testament to the ongoing commitment of the United States and Mexico to collaborate on matters of mutual security and defense.
NORAD and USNORTHCOM: Guardians of North America
NORAD’s core mission is to safeguard North America through aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning, working closely with homeland defense, security, and law enforcement partners. USNORTHCOM is responsible for Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities, providing crucial Department of Defense capabilities for disaster response operations in support of various federal, state, and local agencies. Exercises like AMALGAM EAGLE 17 are vital for ensuring these commands can effectively operate with international partners like the Mexican air force to protect the continent.
