LEAP Scholars strengthen partner relationships with mission in Timor-Leste

Language Enabled Airman Program Scholars Lt. Col. Meridee Trimble (USAF) and Capt. Tia Scoggan (USSF) participated in a mission in Timor-Leste and attended a ceremony on the last day of a class for which they provided Indonesian language support. Pictured from left to right are two USAF Air Advisors, a Timorese student recognized as a top performer, Trimble, and Scoggan.

Technical Interoperability with Allies & Partners

Published April 27, 2026
By AFWIC
AFWIC

TOPIC SPONSOR: AFWIC

How does a focus on technical interoperability help or hinder operational integration with allies and partners?

Conlon, Col. Jennie E., "The Cobbled Road to Equipping US Allies: A Look at Rotary Wing Acquisition in the Indo-Pacific," AWC Strategic Studies Paper, 2024, 30 pgs. Winner of the AWC Maj. Gen. Edward G. Lansdale International Affairs Award
Dobre, Maj. Costinel-Viorel (ROUAF), "Integrated Deterrence: Department of the Air Force and NATO Space and Cyberspace Interoperability" AFGC thesis, 2025, 66 pgs.
- Dobre's research indicates that technical interoperability strictly helps operational integration, and a lack of it causes severe bottlenecks. For example, mismatched SATCOM protocols have delayed operational coordination by 15 minutes, and outdated national firewalls left 40% of NATO states highly vulnerable during hybrid warfare exercises. Implementing unified Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) frameworks and standardizing encryption protocols are critical to eliminating operational silos and enabling synchronized, real-time responses.
Koeltzow, Col. Christopher, Brent Peterson and Eric Williams, "F-16s Unleashed: How They Will Impact Ukraine's War," AF Fellows research, published by Center for Strategic & International Studies, June 11, 2024.