Air Operations Control Station Nieuw Milligen
The Royal Netherlands Air Force monitors the Dutch section of NATO airspace from Air Operations Control Station Nieuw Milligen (AOCS NM). The Dutch section of NATO airspace includes areas over the North Sea. In addition, Air Operations Control Station Nieuw Milligen (AOCS NM) air control follows, coordinates and guides all military air traffic and parts of civilian aviation.
Command and Control Centre
AOCS NM checks from its command-and-control centre whether airborne aircraft have a flight plan and whether they are flying the right route to reach their stated destination. If the aircraft deviates from the flight plan, AOCS NM makes radio contact with the pilot of the aircraft in question.
Tactical Air Control
Tactical Air Control directs Dutch military aircraft and is part of NATO’s air defence system. If an unidentified aircraft flies into Dutch airspace and radio contact cannot be made with the aircraft, the Tactical Controllers have the option of scrambling the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). The QRA comprises 2 fully armed fighter aircrafts.
Since 1 January 2017, the Netherlands and Belgium have been taking it in turns to monitor Benelux airspace. The Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) comprises 2 fully armed fighter aircrafts that are on stand-by 24/7 (alternately in the Netherlands and Belgium) to intercept suspect aircraft.
Air Traffic Control
Air Traffic Control ensures that military and civilian air traffic entering military airspace are directed safely, smoothly and in an orderly manner.
Tactical Air Control shares data with other NATO air operations control stations and with airborne radar stations, the so-called Airborne Warning and Control Station (AWACS) radar aircraft.