Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USNATO158
2009-04-22 16:09:00
SECRET
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

COOPERATIVE AIRSPACE INITIATIVE: THE MODEL FOR NRC

Tags:  NATO PREL MOPS GG RS 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
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DE RUEHNO #0158/01 1121609
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 221609Z APR 09
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2891
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 6327
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T USNATO 000158 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS GG RS
SUBJECT: COOPERATIVE AIRSPACE INITIATIVE: THE MODEL FOR NRC
COOPERATION

Classified By: Ambassador Kurt Volker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T USNATO 000158

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS GG RS
SUBJECT: COOPERATIVE AIRSPACE INITIATIVE: THE MODEL FOR NRC
COOPERATION

Classified By: Ambassador Kurt Volker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 2.


2. (C) SUMMARY: Russia and a wide cross-section of
participating/financing Allies, including Poland, strongly
support the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) Cooperative Airspace
Initiative (CAI). Based on pledges of 75 percent of total
NATO costs for the program (Russia costs are fully
allocated),the NATO International Staff recommended and the
CAI Working Group approved commencement of the initiative's
third phase in February. USNATO supports EUCOM/NORAD's
proposal to seek NRC approval to test the CAI system to pass
information between NORAD and Russia in the Bering Strait
(currently, the system only passes information on Russia's
western borders). The U.S. has pledged 200,000 euros for the
NATO portion of the CAI project but has yet to transfer the
funds to NATO. CAI is a excellent example of the type of
mutually beneficial cooperation in line with the
Administration's overall Russia policy and is the only
tangible counter-terrorism project within the NRC. USNATO
recommends that Washington meet our obligation prior to the
June 11-12 Defense Ministerial, clearing the way for
Secretary Gates to praise the project and brief on the Bering
Straits demonstration. End summary.


3. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USNATO requests that Washington
authorize transfer of U.S.-pledged funds for the CAI project.
Mission further requests that Washington support a
USEUCOM/NORAD request for a demonstration of the CAI in the
Bering Straits for information passing between NORAD and
Russia.

CAI BACKGROUND
--------------


4. (SBU) CAI is a radar track sharing system that provides
air situational awareness along the borders between Russia
and bordering NATO nations (currently installed in Poland,
Norway, and Turkey). The system is designed to provide
situational awareness in the event of a 9/11 style terrorist
attack. The basic system is operational and currently
passing information between participating nations. Phase
Three seeks to develop tactics, training, and procedures.
NRC members agreed in the CAI Working Group to launch the

project's third phase based on NATO International Staff's
assessment that the current pledges from NATO nations (75
percent of predicted NATO costs),including the U.S. pledge,
were sufficient to start the phase.


5. (C) USEUCOM/NORAD staff and Alaskan NORAD Region have
requested (and are seeking interagency approval) that USNATO
seek NRC agreement at the May 29 CAI meeting to conduct a
demonstration of the CAI system in which information would be
passed between Russia and NORAD in the Bering Straits. USNATO
strongly supports this request, believing it will allow the
USG to take full advantage of the benefits of this program.
The Russian Mission to NATO has also indicated strong support
for this demonstration.

STRONG ALLIED AND RUSSIAN SUPPORT
--------------


6. (SBU) The participating members (Russia, Norway, Turkey,
and Poland) and the other financing members (Canada, France,
Greece, Hungary, Norway, Poland, and Turkey) strongly support
CAI. All of the other Allies attend the CAI working group as
observers; no Ally has voiced opposition to CAI. Allies and
Russia often cite CAI as the model of mutually beneficial
cooperation that the NRC should strive for. It is the only
NRC program focused primarily on the defense against
terrorism and its information exchange system provides for
early detection of suspicious air activity, facilitating
transparency, predictability, and interpretability in
airspace management. The Russian Ambassador to NATO often
praises cooperation on this project and encourages rapid
implementation. Russia has been prepared for Phase Three and
is waiting on the Alliance to catch up.

FUNDING
--------------


7. (C) NRC members have pledged approximately 75 percent of
the predicted costs of 807,000 euro for Allies' contribution:

-- U.S. is the largest Allied donor by pledging 25 percent of
Allied costs (approximately 200,000 euros)
-- Poland 167,000 euros
-- France 100,000 euros
-- Norway 50,000 euros
-- Turkey 80,000 euros


8. (C) Russia funds its participation/facilities in the
project, and although exact costs have not been disclosed,
the Russian in-kind contribution would likely make it the
largest project donor.


9. (C) The NATO International Staff contends that 75 percent
funding is the minimum necessary to go forward with Phase
Three. Without the U.S. contribution, Phase Three will
quickly grind to a halt, complicating our request for the
Bering Straits demo. Therefore, Post recommends that the
U.S. funding be transferred prior to the June 11-12 NATO
Defense Ministerial. This would provide Secretary Gates a
strong talking point that would be well-received by NRC
members, particularly Russia, Poland, Turkey, and Norway (the
participating members) and would prevent any project delays.

VOLKER