Senior leader engagement leads officials to Algeria

Bilateral discussions, a C-130J static display and a media roundtable event were part of the agenda of U.S. Air Forces Africa’s latest senior leader engagement visit to Algiers, Algeria, Jan. 25 to 27.

Seventeenth Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Ronald R. Ladnier and his team of advisers and support personnel kicked off the visit with a C-130J static display and tour for Algerian air force pilots, engineers and maintenance officers.

“I was really surprised at the number of questions they had about the aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Kyle Smart from the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. “The questions were very detailed and specific and you could tell they have a lot of experience with the C-130.”

Maj. Lakehal Mostefa, who completed pilot training in the United Kingdom in 1997 and is now an Algerian air force instructor for the C-130H, looked at the C-130J with a critical eye.

“It seems to me very good – very simple and automatic in the cockpit,” he said.

While many of the current cadre of Algerian C-130 pilots and engineers were qualified through courses in the U.S., such as Undergraduate Pilot Training, Basic Flight Engineer Training and C-130 Flight Engineer Training, the Algerian air force has now developed a curriculum to train all aircrew members in-house.

“We do classroom and simulator training for pilots, flight engineers, loadmasters and maintenance members,” said Lt. Col. Bahlouli Nouredine, a C-130 instructor flight engineer.

In addition, the Algerian air force participates in bilateral operational training events with the U.S. In 2003, two C-130s from the U.S. and two from Algeria conducted training in Southern Algeria.

“We’ll do flight exchanges where we have our pilots in your aircraft and yours in ours,” Colonel Bahlouli said, noting that the forces practiced low-level flights, airdrop and night drop operations.

While Algeria and the U.S. have been diplomatic friends and partners for many years, U.S. Ambassador to Algeria David Pearce said, “military cooperation has come a long way in the last year.” This is especially important given Algeria’s role in the region as a leader in counterterrorism efforts. The military can be a catalyst for cooperation, especially when engaging with Algeria as partners in supporting their counterterrorism efforts, Ambassador Pearce said.

“The United States has been and remains committed to working with these governments (in the Sahel region) to help combat terrorism and to help ensure stability in Algeria and in the wider region,” said U.S. Africa Command’s Gen. William Ward during a visit to Algeria in November.

Fighting terrorism since the 1970s, Algeria brings much experience to the table in this area and has worked with several neighboring governments to improve communications, logistics and overall interoperability, said Gen. Nour Eddine Mekri, director of the Direction des Relations Exterieures et de la Cooperation.

“Terrorists and organized crime are wrapped together,” said Gen. Mekri in French to a translator. “To fight this, exchanging information between you and our military is very valuable.”

General Ladnier agreed and reiterated Gen. Ward’s commitment of support.

“We know terrorism is like a disease. It affects everything from economic development to future generations,” he said. “We value our friendship with Algeria and want to be a good partner in that fight. We’re here to listen and to ask how we can be helpful.”

The engagement wrapped up with a media roundtable event held at the U.S. Embassy that was attended by reporters from six Algerian news outlets. Reporters queried General Ladnier on the purpose of his visit, the topics discussed with Algerian leaders and what he sees as the way forward for the budding relationship.

“The No. 1 thing we’ve learned about terrorism is that the terrorists talk and share techniques, and those techniques change every day,” General Ladnier said.

“That’s why we’re interested in learning from and working with Algeria, because like Algeria, we’re interested in peace, security and economic development. We’re in agreement with your leaders that we need to meet again and plan for future activities between our air forces.”