Involvement AFSOUTH

Allied Forces Southern Europe is one of the three Major Subordinate Commands of NATO's Allied Command Europe (ACE). The Commander-in-Chief of AFSOUTH (CINCSOUTH) is a four-star US Navy admiral. His area of responsibility comprises Greece, Italy, Turkey and the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Background

On 16 October 1992 NATO forces began monitoring flights within the airspace of Bosnia- Herzegovina. This was in response to UN Security Council Resolution 781 which requested member states to take steps nationally, or through regional agencies or arrangements to assist UNPROFOR with monitoring the ban on military flights in the airspace of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

NAEW Role

The monitoring was initially carried out by extending the role of the NAEW aircraft involved in the naval monitoring and subsequent embargo operations in the Adriatic. NATO's monitoring capability was further enhanced on 31 October 1992 when an additional NAEW orbit was established over Hungary with the support of both the Hungarian and Austrian governments Information collected by the NAEW force in what was called the NATO Operation Sky Monitor was provided to UNPROFOR as part of the overall monitoring effort.

Enforcement Of Zone

From 16 October 1992 until 12 April 1993, UN authorities assessed that more than 500 flights violated the UN ban. On 31 March 1993 UN Security Council Resolution 816 extended the ban to cover all flights not authorized by UNPROFOR and authorized member states to take all necessary measures, in event of further violations, to ensure compliance with the ban.

The North Atlantic Council approved NATO's plans for the enforcement of the ban on 8 April 1993 and notified the UN of their willingness to undertake the operation.