Operation Eagle Assist

NATO AWACS Eagle Assist badge.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Operation Eagle Assist began on October 9, 2001^[1] after the North Atlantic Council's October 4 decision to operationalize Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, and ended on May 16, 2002. In total, 830 crew members from 13 NATO nations executed 360 operational sorties, totaling nearly 4300 hours, over the skies of the United States in NATO AWACS aircraft.

The decision to terminate what was NATO's first deployment "in the defense of one of its member countries"^[1] "was made on the basis of upgrades to the U.S. air defense posture, enhanced cooperation between U.S. civil and military authorities, and on mandatory evaluations of homeland security requirements"^[2]

See also

• List of Canadian military operations
• Operation Noble Eagle

References

1. ^ ^{a b} AWACS: NATO's eyes in the sky – 4. AWACS Operations, NATO On-line library.
2. ^ NATO Concluding AWACS Support for U.S. Homeland Security, April 30, 2002, U.S. Mission to Italy.

External links

• Statement by the Secretary General on the conclusion of Operation Eagle Assist
• Canadian Forces contributions to NATO
• Article 5 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Medal for Operation "Eagle Assist" Order