Swedish media cover Trident Juncture 18 at Kallax Air Base

LULEÅ, Sweden – Before sunrise on Friday, 26 October, Swedish media arrived at Kallax Air Base to visit the portion of NATO’s exercise Trident Juncture that takes place in the country.

The media programme started with live programme by a TV station with the Kallax Base Commander, Colonel Claes Isoz against the background of United States Air Force F-16 fighters parked on the apron.

The group of journalists then moved to a taxiway just in time to cover a dozen F-16 jets proceeding to their holding positions and taking off towards a training area in Finland. They operated with other Allies and Partners facilitating tactical-level training and execution of jointly planned missions.

Colonel Isoz subsequently briefed the journalists about the Swedish contribution to the exercise both as a provider of Host Nation Support and a participant.

During his briefing the head of NATO’s Air Detachment, Spanish Air Force Colonel Luis Villar, said, "This major exercise demonstrates the Alliance’s capabilities and ensures Allied forces are trained and ready. NATO is a defensive Alliance, ready to protect our people and territories and the values we share. That is why it is important to train our ability to work together and with our Partners.”

The programme for the media concluded with interviews of United States Air Force pilots and tours of the impressive KC-135 "flying gas station” at the apron just after the fighter aircraft returned from their training missions.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office – Kallax Air Base