EUROCONTROL and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have strengthened in front of the aerospace & military community their ongoing relationship, defining a joint list of key priorities for the implementation of the Single European Sky in the military aviation sector. Areas of action include remotely piloted aircraft systems, coordination of SESAR deployment and satellite telecommunications. The overall aim of the agreement, which was signed on 19 June at the Paris Air Show Le Bourget by Mr Frank Brenner, Director General of EUROCONTROL and Mme Claude France Arnould, Chief Executive of EDA is to ensure improved coordination and cooperation between civil and military air traffic resulting in the construction of a Single Sky in Europe for both military and civil air transport. Under the terms of the arrangement, the two Agencies will cooperate closely in the following areas: Support to Single European Sky implementation, on operational aspects, (training, certification, development of an Advanced Flexible Use of Airspace Concept, considering ground ATM and airborne side, etc.); Military coordination in SESAR Deployment; Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). This cooperation may also extend to radiofrequency spectrum management, satellite-based applications and research and technology aspects. “As a civil-military organisation, EUROCONTROL is fully committed through this new promising collaboration to increasing our collaboration with EDA to help the military community to be fully integrated in the Single European Sky. These arrangements also set up an optimum environment for the implementation of SESAR technology”, declared Frank Brenner, Director General of EUROCONTROL. “This agreement will bring together the expertise of EUROCONTROL in civil military ATM coordination and EDA’s in developing and improving military capabilities. We share the common goal to support our respective Member States’ Ministries of Defence and to enable their air forces to keep their combat readiness while training and operating in a reshaped environment”, said Claude-France Arnould, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency. The two Agencies have been working together since 2008 and have in particular been focusing on supporting their respective Member States on relevant military matters regarding Single European Sky implementation, including its technological pillar SESAR. More information: Single European Sky project page EUROCONTROL website