Air sovereignty

Air sovereignty is the fundamental right of a sovereign state to regulate the use of its airspace and enforce its own aviation law – in extremis by the use of fighter aircraft.

As part of the principle of collective defence in peacetime, NATO members carry out air policing missions to protect the integrity of Allied airspace.

In the Benelux area (Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands), the Belgian and Dutch air forces provide the quick reaction aircraft in turns of four months each.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 1946 ruled that private property owners have exclusive rights to the airspace above their land, up to an altitude of 365 feet.

The majority of the aerospace control alert missions in the U.S. are carried out by the Air National Guard by units flying, at present time, the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.