Why is close co-operation needed between civil and military air traffic control?
The sky is becoming an increasingly rare asset as the number of flights increases. The armed forces in every country need military airspace, which must be precisely delimited. But consistent, co-ordinated use must be made of these rare resources. For example, at the weekend the armed forces conduct no training exercises in the airspace reserved for them, which should therefore be freed for civil use to provide easier access to certain airports which are particularly congested at the weekend. The Single Sky and closer co-operation between civil and military users should ensure better use of airspace and, as a result, reduce delays. Do the Commission’s proposals impinge on national sovereignty? The principal objective is to reduce fragmentation in the sky by creating functional blocks of airspace extending beyond national frontiers and on the ground by encouraging co-operation between air traffic control organisations. These methods require active support from the member states concerned
