Transitioning to capability diversification • The Land Component The exercises, deployments and military operations in which Luxembourg military personnel will take part over the coming years will employ land reconnaissance equipment already largely available. If required, this equipment will be supplemented and upgraded as necessary. A BENELUX Letter of Intent provides for the establishment of a tactical observation RPAS capability. RPAS are the future of land reconnaissance. They allow comprehensive and extensive information on the military environment and the attendant risks to be gathered without having to deploy military personnel to the front line. Land reconnaissance is performed in the air also, not just on the ground. The armed forces will continue to evolve in the field of ISR by implementing capability modules that can integrate into a partner’s ISR environment. The army’s current reconnaissance capabilities will evolve over time with the introduction of new technologies. A transition towards forces operating a broader range of ISR sensors will commence without delay, based in particular on exchanges in the context of FNC cooperation with Germany, and BENELUX cooperation. • The Air Component Luxembourg has extensive expertise in the field of aviation. In view of this expertise and of the international capability requirements in the area of ISR, airlift and medical evacuation, the Luxembourg Defence is considering a more substantial expansion of the army’s Air Component: - The airlift capabilities acquired (A400M, MRTT) can be used to meet national and international military or humanitarian needs. These capabilities will be supplemented through the acquisition of other air platforms, e.g. tactical airlift and medical evacuation helicopters, which in due course could be piloted by Luxembourg aircrews or used to transport medical teams constituted by the Luxembourg Defence, particularly in connection with the military medicine project described below. - One of the promising areas in the ISR context is that of aerial observation. This can be performed with RPAS, aircraft or satellites. Luxembourg will consider the merits of joining aerial observation programmes to be conducted in cooperation with national players in the public and private sectors. Such programmes may include various components such as the acquisition of aircraft or RPAS for observation, the development of a data analysis capability in Luxembourg, or the use of aircraft for both military and civilian missions. In addition to dedicated equipment, aerial observation requires satellite communication capabilities to transmit, record and process the information gathered (see below under “The Space Sector”). - In due course, the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control System (NAEW&CS) capability, using AWACS aircraft, will be replaced by the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) capability. The Luxembourg Defence will consider contribution options, particularly those involving potential participation in a European RPAS programme. - Currently, Findel airport is already used occasionally for military purposes. The Luxembourg Defence is considering setting up a Government facility within the Findel airport perimeter – possibly in the form of facilities for parking and servicing aircraft acquired by the Luxembourg Defence in the future – in cooperation with national partners. - Aerial observation and airborne medical evacuation capabilities can also contribute usefully to the defence of our maritime interests, including the safeguard of the Luxembourg maritime flag, which is currently dependent upon on support from partner nations. 41