Courtesy Photo | The Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Jochen Both, awards the Operation Unified Protector...... read more read more
GEIULENKIRCHEN, Germany - The Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Jochen Both, awarded the Operation Unified Protector (OUP) pennant to the E-3A Component Sept. 25, 2014, after a ceremony welcoming NATO AWACS home from Afghanistan.
“OUP clearly demonstrated NATO’s advanced air capabilities and highlighted the significance of air power in modern conflicts,” General Both said. “Between the end of March and the end of October 2011, E-3A aircraft conducted nearly 250 sorties, all of them with great mission success, totalling more than 2,100 flight hours. This is a testament to the responsiveness, adaptability and especially the professionalism, leadership, and team spirit of the men and women working at Force Command and the E-3A component.”
NATO took control of all military operations for Libya under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 & 1973 on 31 March 2011. The aim of OUP was to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under attack or threat of attack.
The mission comprised of three elements: an arms embargo, a no-fly-zone and actions to protect civilians from attack or the threat of attack.
On Oct. 28, 2011, after 211 days, the North Atlantic Council took the formal decision to end the operation at 2359 hours on the Oct. 31, 2011, the operation lasted a total of 214 days.
NATO fully complied with the historic mandate of the United Nations to protect the people of Libya, to enforce the no-fly zone and the arms embargo. Unified Protector is one of the most successful operations in NATO history.
The Component has previously earned four other Allied Command Operations campaign pennants for support of Operation Anchor Guard, Konya Turkey in 1990; NATO relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Pakistan in 2005; support of NATO operations in Kosovo in 1999; and support of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 09.25.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.26.2014 03:29 |
| Story ID: | 143341 |
| Location: | GEILENKIRCHEN, NW, DE |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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