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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk to different buildings during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015. The countries that participated on the treaty verification exercise inspection team were Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)

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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

A Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team member selects the next facility to inspect during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015. The CFE treaty allows treaty signatories to inspect one another’s bases to determine compliance with treaty regulations. The CFE treaty limits the amount of warfighting equipment to an acceptable volume to eliminate unfair advantages of other nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)

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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk through the propulsion flight engine testing facility during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015. The inspectors visited the base as part of an exercise hosted by the 52nd Fighter Wing. The U.S. Air Force invited service members from Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany to take part in the inspection exercise as the treaty verification team. The inspectors determined the U.S. Air Force’s compliance with CFE treaty regulations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)

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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk through buildings during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015. CFE inspections allow foreign countries to conduct an on-site inspection of U.S. installations. The inspections verify that the U.S. remains in compliance with treaty limits on equipment like tanks, armored-combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft and attack helicopters. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)

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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk through an aircraft maintenance building at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015. The inspectors visited the base as part of an exercise hosted by the 52nd Fighter Wing. The U.S. Air Force invited service members from Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany to take part in the inspection as the treaty verification team. The inspectors determined the U.S. Air Force’s compliance with CFE treaty regulations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)

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Spangdahlem hosts CFE exercise

Published Sept. 18, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- A group of inspectors from the Benelux Arms Control Agency consisting of representatives from Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany visited Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 16, 2015, as part of a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty compliance inspection exercise.

The treaty ensures military installations remain in compliance with numerical limits on offensive conventional armaments in the host countries it operates in.

"This treaty is important because it allows reporting and continual contact between two former opposing blocks so that there are no surprises and it breaks down barriers," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bruce Carswell, Defense Threat Reduction Agency inspection and escort team chief.

The treaty also safeguards against large concentrations of armed forces personnel in addition to weapon stockpiles. These inspections occur with the intention of verifying a military balance of forces among treaty signatory nations for equipment like tanks, armored combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft and attack helicopters.

"My experience here has been good, the base was very well prepared," said Kingdom of Belgium Lt. Col. Peter Van Den Broeck, BECA head. "The briefings were very detailed and all the provisions of the CFE have been respected thus far, very well prepared and very well executed."

Members of the foreign inspection teams examine designated installations on very short notice in the interest of openness and transparency to ensure treaty standards.

"The treaty is still valid because 29 countries out of 30 are still executing it faithfully because the number of conventional armaments have been reduced to a very low level," Van Den Broeck. said "We should still continue with these inspections and this treaty."