Home  /  Newsroom  /  2023  /  Allied fighters support NATO Battlegroups during close air support missions

RAMSTEIN, Germany – Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from Allied nations deployed in the NATO enhanced forward presence battle groups in the Baltics, have been practicing Air-Land Integration during Exercise Winter Camp.

Close Air Support missions build critical relationships between Soldiers and Airmen that ensure joint operations can be executed rapidly whenever and wherever needed

Allied fighters stationed in the Baltics under the NATO Air Policing mission including French Rafales, German Eurofighters and Polish F-16s took part in the exercise. They supported the exercising ground units from the resident battle groups and their Estonian hosts by conducting live training serials. This provides valuable currency training for the aircrew and JTACs by using simulated attacks within training ranges.

 Joint Terminal Attack Controllers are specially trained in Air-Land Integration and communicate directly with aircrew via radio and digital means to control close air support. Photo Ministry of Defence 

Exercise Winter Camp was hosted by Estonia and saw Allied nations practice air-land integration in harsh winter conditions. Photo courtesy Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Estonia. 

Allied fighters from Germany, France & Poland, currently air policing in the Baltics, supported the exercising ground units. Archive image courtesy German Air Force

"Close Air Support missions build critical relationships between Soldiers and Airmen that ensure joint operations can be executed rapidly whenever and wherever needed," said Major Guillaume Veuille, French Rafale detachment commander, Lituania. “JTACs are an important link between the ground units and our pilots, training like this helps test NATO tactics techniques and procedures refining our skill sets for future joint missions.”

JTACs are specially trained in Air-Land Integration and communicate directly with aircrew via radio and digital means to control close air support sorties. The integration between naval, air, and land forces bolsters Alliance multi-domain operations to ensure that each domain can work seamlessly together.