NATO Deputy Secretary General, Claudio Bisogniero, presided over a signing ceremony in the margins of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Bratislava. The ceremony marked a declaration of intent by nine NATO Allies to contribute to a multi-national helicopter initiative designed to provide NATO and its operations with additional airlift capability through a multi-national cooperative programme run by the HIP Helicopter Task Force.

Created in February 2009 and led by the Czech Republic, the HIP Helicopter Task Force is responsible for the development of a multi-national transport helicopter programme for NATO to help those countries that do not have the resources to deploy and run a transport helicopter operation on their own. This multi-national initiative will facilitate the in-theatre deployment of transport helicopters by NATO and Partner nations through the collective support of other Allies. Assistance ranges from the provision of operational pre-deployment training; command and control capabilities; base support or financial aid.

The Declaration of Intent was signed last week by the Czech Republic, Albania, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia Spain, Turkey and the UK. This will provide the necessary political mandate to start mitigating critical utility helicopter shortfalls, particularly in the conduct of ISAF operations in Afghanistan. Helicopters remain a critical requirement for NATO operations, especially in Afghanistan given the scope of ISAF operations and the lack of a fully developed road system to transport troops and equipment. Several countries, which operate HIP helicopters, have been willing to send additional aircraft but needed assistance to deploy and operate these vital assets.

Over the past eight months the HIP Helicopter Task Force has been encouraging NATO Allies to provide resources and expertise so that those Allies, including the Czech Republic and Hungary, who operate transport Helicopters such as the MI 8, MI 17 and MI 171, would have the assistance necessary to set up a multi-national deployable operation.

Membership in this initiative is therefore not limited to transport helicopter owners but is open to any country willing to contribute with experience, know-how and/or capabilities. These efforts are part of a broader NATO Helicopter Initiative aimed at addressing helicopter shortfalls on all operations. This programme also includes a UK-French Multinational Helicopter Initiative (MHI), which supports the financing of helicopter deployment-related activities.

It is hoped that other Allies will join this cooperative programme.

Source: NATO News

Additional, suggested searches:

Bibliography.

Related Products.

More about this topic at Andinia.com.

Debates about this in our forum.

Related games and entertainment.

From 5-15 October, "BELCOAST 09" is marking the fifth anniversary of NATO's Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT PoW), demonstrating technologies that can improve the protection of military installations in operations. The event will take place at Koksijde Air Base and other locations along the Belgian coast.

More than 160 companies will join military units and technology experts to show, test and explain technologies for defending against different threat scenarios, including mortar, rocket and improvised explosive devices; chemical and biological attacks; and threats to land-based, maritime and aviation infrastructure. Technologies for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and non-lethal capabilities will also be shown.

In response to the terrorist bombings in Madrid in March 2004, NATO launched the DAT PoW to develop cutting-edge technology or adapt existing technology to protect troops and civilians from terrorist attacks and other asymmetric threats. It comprises 10 technology initiatives, to include countering improvised explosive devices, defending against mortar attack and developing non-lethal capabilities. One initiative, critical infrastructure protection, led by Belgium, focuses on technologies that protect important civilian and military infrastructure.

More information on this event can be found at: http://www.belcoast09.org/.

Source: NATO News

Additional, suggested searches:

Bibliography.

Related Products.

More about this topic at Andinia.com.

Debates about this in our forum.

Related games and entertainment.

SEVILLE, Spain – The 21-nation World Heritage Committee has taken an important step to protect Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Montana and Alberta, Canada, calling for a full report from a joint mission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the World Heritage Centre on the potential threats from proposed coal mining and oil and gas development in the region. The Committee is part of the United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations, or UNESCO.

"As we approach the 77th anniversary of this spectacular international park, we hope that we can join with Canada and all our international partners to help protect its unique landscape, beautiful rivers, and abundant wildlife," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "The decision by the World Heritage Committee to request a state of conservation report on the park from the two countries and to urge no mining or energy development in the area until the joint mission is completed and its report reviewed by the committee is a major step forward in our efforts to protect one of North America's great natural treasures."

"This action brings us another step closer to establishing the safeguards we need to protect Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park from mining and energy development proposals," said Senator Max Baucus. "The development of the joint state of conservation report by the United States and Canada is the beginning of a long partnership between our two nations to protect the Flathead Valley once and for all from potential threats of mining and energy development."

Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana on the United States side and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta on the Canadian side, were designated by law as the world's first International Peace Park in 1932. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is traversed by the Lewis Range and contains outstanding glacial lakes and alpine scenery and is significant as a habitat exceptionally rich in plant and mammal life.

The park protects an important biological crossroads at the point where the Rocky Mountains reach their narrowest width. It also serves as a celebration of the longest undefended contiguous border between two nations and a reminder that our natural resources have no boundaries.

The 21-nation World Heritage Committee, which concludes today in Seville, Spain, oversees the list of World Heritage Sites that are of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. Sites that are deemed to be in jeopardy are placed on the danger list.

The Committee requested the mission take place as soon as possible so that the results can be considered by the Committee in its next session in the summer of 2010. The United States and Canada will complete a State of Conservation Report by February 1, 2010.

Source: DOI

Additional, suggested searches:

Bibliography.

Related Products.

More about this topic at Andinia.com.

Debates about this in our forum.

Related games and entertainment.