Improving Partner Interoperability for U.S. Air Forces in Europe

Base Operating Support and Airfield Recovery

Patrick Mills, Rachel Costello, Shawn Cochran, John G. Drew, Beth Grill, Marta Kepe, Brandon Krueger

ResearchPublished Sep 10, 2025

U.S. Air Forces in Europe is pursuing greater interoperability with European partners. The authors assessed four key areas—aircraft arresting systems, airfield recovery, fire and emergency services, and force protection—and found both function-specific and broader institutional barriers. Recommendations focus on better planning, coordination, data sharing, and use of security cooperation tools.

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Mills, Patrick, Rachel Costello, Shawn Cochran, John G. Drew, Beth Grill, Marta Kepe, and Brandon Krueger, Improving Partner Interoperability for U.S. Air Forces in Europe: Base Operating Support and Airfield Recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3161-1.html.
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This research was sponsored by United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, Directorate of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection (USAFEAFAFRICA/ A4) and conducted within the Resource Management Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE.

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