RAMSTEIN, Germany – Baltic Air
Policing quick response aircraft from the deployed German and French
detachments, along with NATO and Partner aircraft and ground crews from Poland,
Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, trained aircrews and
controllers Sept. 27-28 during the third Ramstein Alloy exercise.
Through scenarios,
air and ground crews across the Baltic region honed their skills and enhanced
interoperability to support NATO’s air policing mission.
"Ramstein Alloy enables continued refinement and
blended training of Alliance and Partner quick reaction forces, which helps
ensure safe and secure skies in the region,” said NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM)
Chief of Staff, Major General Erich Siegmann.
"The term ‘alloy’ underlines the essence of what
this event represents -- solid cooperation of NATO and Partner members
together, just as a metal alloy mixes and combines two components
together to produce a stronger, improved substance,” General Siegmann added.
The Ramstein
Alloy training series – previously called Baltic Regional Training Events, or
BRTEs -- exercises the newest rotation of aircraft and personnel supporting NATO’s
BAP mission in the region. France and
Germany currently serve as the BAP detachments, based in Amari, Estonia, and
Siauliai, Lithuania. Alliance Partner Finland
and Sweden also participated, providing interceptor aircraft for quick reaction
scenarios and live flying activities. A Lithuanian C-27, a Latvian Search and
Rescue helicopter and a NATO E-3A Airborne Early Warning plane also flew in support of Ramstein Alloy 3.
According to
AIRCOM’s RAMSTEIN ALLOY planner, Spanish Maj. Ildefonso Martinez-Pardo, all
training objectives for the third iteration of the training event were
met.
"Some of the
scenarios we executed included air-to-air interception, dissimilar aircraft
training, search and rescue training, and airborne controlling from the NATO E-3A. Close Air Support missions were also
scheduled and conducted by Joint Tactical Attack Controllers from Latvian Armed
Forces on the Adazi shooting range,” said Major Martinez-Pardo.
The Ramstein Alloy series, executed through AIRCOM
at Ramstein, Germany, and the Allied CAOC Uedem, Germany, helps assure and
train NATO Allies and Partners in the Baltic region. The event is designed to
enhance relations among regional air and ground forces and to further develop
interoperability through defensive practice drills.
Story
by HQ AIRCOM Public Affairs Office