APF Mauritania wraps up

by Master Sgt. Brian M. Boisvert
USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs

9/4/2014 - ATAR, Mauritania -- The last full day during the African Partnership Flight Mauritania was filled with a group Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance planning exercise, an ISR field capstone event and the arrival of two Mauritanian Super Tucanos and a Cessna-208 Grand Caravan, Sept. 3, 2014, at Atar Airbase.

The six African nations that participated in the week-long classroom events completed lessons in ISR, ground and air safety procedures, and air operations center management as part of APF Mauritania before receiving their graduation certificates as part of the closing ceremony scheduled for Sept. 4, 2014.

"This training is very important and beneficial to exchange skills and share experiences for improving our nations here in Africa," said a student from Burkina Faso.

Following the last formal classroom training session, the students were met by Col. Mohammad Lehreitani, Mauritania air force chief in command, who asked them about the instruction they had received and what they learned from this event.

"This type of event is good for African forces to strengthen ties of brotherhood and exchange aviation modes," said a student from Senegal.

The final event allowed students and other distinguished visitors to view the Mauritanian air force intercepting and engaging a simulated threat using ISR capabilities.

"It was really interesting to see how everything we learned was put into use," said a Mauritanian student.

This is the third APF event this year and the first one co-hosted by the Mauritanian government and focused on ISR training at the request of the Mauritanian government.

About 55 African air force airmen attended the APF discussions that are designed to build aviation capacity, enhance regional cooperation, and increase interoperability throughout the region while growing international aviation knowledge and developing stronger air force partnerships.