Treaty office ensures wing in compliance Published March 5, 2008 By Billy L. Hendricks 52nd Fighter Wing Treaty Compliance Office SPANGDAHALEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The treaty compliance office represents the 52nd Fighter Wing in the international arms control arena by ensuring the unit is postured for conducting real world Conventional Forces in Europe, Vienna Document 1999, Open Skies and Chemical Weapons Convention treaty inspections. Responsibilities include interpretation and compliance with applicable international treaties. The office is a one-person regional office with a base alternate. Treaty oversight includes all permanent and temporary Air Force installations in Central Europe There are several arms control treaties in effect and all are intended to foster a more stable environment in post-Cold War Europe. The Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, and VDoc 99 most directly impact Spangdahlem Air Base. The treaty limits the number of personnel, tanks, artillery pieces, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft and attack helicopters that each side (former Soviet Bloc and NATO Allies) can have. The F-16s and A-10s assigned to the 52 FW are considered treaty limited equipment and are accountable under the CFE treaty. The United States can be inspected four times in this treaty year by the former Soviet Bloc countries. In addition, an inspection exercise is conducted at Spangdahlem AB annually by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency-Europe. This year the CFE exercise will be in August with DTRA-E as the inspection team. A bi-lateral State Party has not yet been determined for the 52nd FW. The DTRA-E also conducts inspections on the other 29 participating states parties to the treaty, to validate their compliance. The Open Skies Treaty was signed in Helsinki, Finland, March 24, 1992. The treaty establishes a regime of observation flights to verify member countries' compliance with other arms control treaties, which in turn, fosters trust and confidence. Special unarmed observation aircraft, equipped with still and video cameras, infrared devices and side-looking radar are used for this mission. The Vienna Document 1999 came into force on Nov. 16, 1999. The purpose of VDOC99 is to build mutual trust and understanding among the participating states through data exchanges and on-site inspections. VDOC99 is designed to increase transparency, thereby promoting cooperation, reducing misunderstandings and restoring/reinforcing stability during times of international conflict. The categories for conventional arms to be reported under the VDOC99 include battle tanks, helicopters, armored combat vehicles, armored personnel carrier look-alikes, armored infantry fighting vehicle look-alikes, anti-tank guided missile launchers, certain artillery pieces and armored vehicle launched bridges. Each state is subject to three inspections a year. The CWC prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. The treaty came into force on April 29, 1997, and is the most detailed arms control treaty to date. The 52nd FW is not normally affected by the CWC treaty because the wing does not have any articles or equipment that are controlled by the CWC operations. These are just a few examples of the arms control treaties that directly impact Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe's wings daily. Professionalism with a sense of openness while utilizing good judgment in the Operations Security arena is the watch-word for any treaty inspection and the daily operating practice of the regional treaty office. To Contact the Treaty Compliance Office, call 452-7415 or 480-8607.