On 10-11 October 2023, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Bauer attended the 2023 edition of the Joint Air and Space Power Conference, where he delivered a keynote address to more than 300 experts and senior leaders from across the Alliance and beyond, representing defence industry, academia and all military services.
Delivering his keynote address on the first day of the conference, Admiral Bauer reflected on the importance of Air and Space Power in this new era of collective defence. "Safeguarding the integrity of Alliance members' sovereign airspace is a permanent peacetime task that highly contributes to NATO's collective deterrence and defence. It is a clear sign of our cohesion, shared responsibility and solidarity. And with growing insecurity and challenges, the importance of Air and Space Power will grow even more", he emphasised.
Admiral Bauer also underscored the crucial function of multidomain operations for the Alliance, especially in regards to using Air and Space Power as a force multiplier and catalyst for multi-domain operations. "Air Power offers a unique capability to multi-domain operations: ubiquity. This allows for the delivery of simultaneous effects to different Operation Commanders, even sometimes towards different theatres. Air Power offers readiness, firepower and global reach. Space, in turn, offers unique complementary capabilities. It brings transparency of the battlefield to the commander and greater efficiency. From seabed to space, we need to stay one step ahead of our adversaries", remarked the Chair.
Concluding his remarks, Admiral Bauer highlighted the essential role played by the Joint Air and Space Power Competence Centre in providing independent military advice as well as key research in areas such as Joint All-Domain Operations, Joint ISR and Big Data Management, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, and Unmanned Air Systems. "JAPCC is an indispensable element of NATO's constant innovation and adaptation, providing effective solutions on Air and Space Power challenges", he noted.
This year's edition of the Joint Air and Space Power Conference was organised under the overarching theme of "Enhancing NATO's Deterrence and Defence through Joint Air Power".
