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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing escort Romanian inspection team members and members of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency during a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Oct. 24, 2019. In the event of a real-world CFE inspection, the 52nd FW must account for all treaty-limited equipment, including combat aircraft in transit or equipment on cargo aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Valerie Seelye)Airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing escort Romanian inspection team members and members of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency during a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Oct. 24, 2019. In the event of a real-world CFE inspection, the 52nd FW must account for all treaty-limited equipment, including combat aircraft in transit or equipment on cargo aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Valerie Seelye)
                
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        U.S. Air Force Airmen escort Romanian inspection team members during a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Oct. 24, 2019. The CFE Treaty limits the number of battle tanks, artillery pieces, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, and attack helicopters each participating state party can have within the European Area of Application. The exercise was held to make sure the wing is ready for a potential real-world inspection, which can happen with as little as 43 hours' notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Valerie Seelye)U.S. Air Force Airmen escort Romanian inspection team members during a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Oct. 24, 2019. The CFE treaty limits the number of battle tanks, artillery pieces, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft and attack helicopters each participating state party can have within the European area of application. The exercise ensured the wing is ready for a potential real-world inspection, which can happen anytime, with as little as 43 hours' notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Valerie Seelye)
                
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52nd FW conducts CFE treaty exercisePublished Oct. 28, 2019
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Valerie Seelye
                    
                    
                    52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --**The 52nd Fighter Wing participated in a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty exercise Oct. 24, to verify readiness in the event of a short-notice CFE inspection.
Airmen escorted an exercise inspection team from Romania, members of the **Defense Threat Reduction Agency** and members of the German Verification Agency for an inspection of facilities throughout the installation.
“The wing is required to conduct a full-scale CFE exercise annually,” said Michael Mench, 52nd FW treaty compliance officer.
During an inspection, the teams must be permitted access to any facility on the installation with an entryway measuring two meters or more in width, to include containers that measure two meters or more along all dimensions. The 52nd FW must account for all treaty-limited equipment, including combat aircraft in transit or equipment on cargo aircraft.
“The CFE Treaty was developed during the later stages of the Cold War in order to ease tension and provide transparency of military operations in the European theater,” Mench said. “The numbers of major warfighting equipment were greatly reduced while still allowing for a robust defense. Ceilings on the numbers of warfighting equipment that can be placed in certain areas were designed to prevent surprise offensive buildup.”
The treaty limits the number of battle tanks, artillery pieces, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft and attack helicopters each participating state party can have within the European area of application. The 52nd FW’s **F-16 Fighting Falcons** count toward the aircraft limit; therefore, the wing is susceptible to a real-world inspection with as little as 43 hours’ notice.
The annual exercise is an important part of the 52nd FW’s mission.
“Treaties are international law, and as such, the wing must always be prepared to show we are in compliance,” Mench said. “At the same time, we must be prepared to protect operational security while a foreign inspection team is conducting an inspection. The full-scale annual exercise helps make sure the 52nd FW is prepared to demonstrate ‘compliance without compromise.’”LR 



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