November 2016 struck the biggest blow to the international feeling of military security in Europe that year. And that was when one accounts for Brexit! The election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States left many wondering about the future of NATO. Immediately embedded into this question are the fears over the safety of European nations. Will they form a joint military force to tackle any possible threats?

Trump hastens cooperation

At present, a joint European air force is the most one can hope for. On February, 16 European NATO allies agreed on a joint purchase of planes and submarines, as well as the possibility of opening a new command headquarters for Dutch, Belgian and Danish special forces that could be used at the behest of NATO.

Representatives from France and Germany promised to buy Lockheed Martin C-130J transport planes. Meanwhile, Germany, Belgium and Norway will join a Netherlands-led fleet of Airbus A330 tanker planes.

"This multinational cooperation through NATO is a clear way for countries to significantly improve their armed forces while ensuring the greatest value for money for their taxpayers," said Rose Gottemoeller, NATO's deputy secretary general.

Plans cover a multitude of forces

Last November, the European Union agreed on a defense plan that involves sending rapid response forces for operations abroad for the first time. It was brought on by Trump's criticism of European NATO allies, providing an impetus for closer cooperation.

The idea of this was to allow EU to send forces that would stabilize a crisis before U.N. peacekeepers could take over – a sort of multi-national voluntary force that would go in before others. It would also show EU’s willingness to act without the United States.

"Europe needs to be able to act for its own security," French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian commented on the on the occasion. "This will allow Europe to take a step towards its strategic autonomy."

A history of joint organizations

These are but the latest of various European plans on military cooperation, of which there are many, yet none of them reach the level of commitment of NATO. Finabel, an organization established in 1953, is controlled by member state’s army chiefs of staff and works on promoting cooperation and interoperability between the national armies. The Eurocorps is an intergovernmental corps HQ unit that governs forces that are formed around the nucleus of the French-German brigade that was formed in 1989.

Those aren’t the only multinational projects and some of them directly involve the air forces. A possible joint European air force could build on the framework of European Air Group and European Air Transport Command. The former promotes interoperability, the latter – air refueling and similar missions.

EU is not without cooperation issues

Even with the US out of the picture, EU has its own share of troubles when it comes to cooperation. Different countries often work at cross purposes – yet any sort of real joint military establishment requires unanimous support. Brexit is posing even more danger to any sort of joint effort. Meanwhile, joint military development projects also have the chances to sour relationships. Airbus has even asked the EU to stop fining it for the delays of the A400M transport aircraft, while Austria is going to sue countries over the Eurofighters that were delivered to it.

Whatever happens to the dream of joint European military power, it should happen sooner or later. The political and sociological background is volatile and unpredictable, with nationalist and populist movements on the march. One might say if countries hoping for joint EU air force should hurry as EU that we know today might be very different tomorrow.

Do you think the idea of a joint European air force is viable or is it just a pie in the sky? Share your views and insights by emailing us at info@aerotime.aero.