Operation Sky Monitor

The UN Security Council on 09 October 1992 passed resolution 781 establishing a ban on military flights in the airspace of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The resolution tasked UNPROFOR with monitoring compliance with the ban. NATO agreed to provide the UN with airspace monitoring assistance by extending the role of the NATO Airborne Early Warning Aircraft that had been assisting in naval monitoring operations in the Adriatic since 16 July 1992 (Operations Maritime Monitor and Maritime Guard). The additional monitoring activity started on 16 October 1992 with the NAEW orbit over the Adriatic. On 31 October an additional NAEW orbit was commenced over Hungary, as the Hungarian government had agreed to the establishment of an air orbit in its air space.

Information collected as a result of NAEW Force monitoring of the air space was provided to UN authorities. Aircraft from the E-3A Component of NATO's Early Warning Force (NAEWF) conducted their missions from their home base at Geilenkirchen, Germany, the NAEWF Forward Operating Bases Trapani in Italy and Preveza in Greece and the Italian air base at Aviano. The E-3A aircraft are flown by multinational crews provided by eleven NATO nations (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey and the United States). The E-3D Component of the NAEWF comprised of aircraft from the United Kingdom's No 8 Squadron operated from their home base at Royal Air Force Waddington, UK, the NAEWF Forward Operating Base Trapani in Italy and the Italian air base at Aviano. French E-3F aircraft operating from Avord air base in France and Italian air base Trapani under the auspices of the WEU have also participated in the mission since 12 August 1992.

The whole combined NATO monitoring and enforcing operation is directed by the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples, while the Commander Allied Air Forces Southern Europe controls the operations of the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force aircraft.