NORTHWOOD, United Kingdom - The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conducted a large integrated air defence activity across the High North and North Atlantic, involving participation from seven JEF nations on February 29, 2024.
JEF Nations' participation in air defence highlights the collective efforts of the JEF in deterring any would-be adversaries, while contributing to NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity in the region
Under the coordination of NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Uedem, Germany, the JEF worked with long-range strategic bombers from the United States Air Force (USAF), returning to their home base in the United States, to simulate the interception of adversary aircraft. As the bombers made their way south down the coast of Norway, ground and carrier-based Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft scrambled in succession to intercept them, demonstrating the JEF’s ability to defend the skies above NATO’s northern flank.
JEF Air Forces conducting integration and interoperability training with the US B-1B bombers during Global Guardian in the High North. Photo Crown Copyright.
Royal Danish Air Force F-16s joined JEF-led Global Guardian integration and air defence drills in the High North. Photo courtesy Royal Danish Air Force.
Royal Air Force Typhoons supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft deployed to the High North to intercept simulated adversary long-range aircraft, B-1B Lancer from US Bomber Task Force. Photo Crown Copyright.
Royal Navy F-35s embarked on HMS Prince of Wales and Royal Air Force Typhoons from RAF Coningsby deployed to intercept simulated adversary long-range aircraft, B-1B Lancer from US Bomber Task Force. Photo Crown Copyright.
“The convening ability of the JEF operational headquarters allows for Northern European countries to participate in activities like Global Guardian with Allies, further enhancing our collective capability,” said the JEF Director of Communications, Group Captain Kevin Latchman. “JEF Nations' participation in air defence highlights the collective efforts of the JEF in deterring any would-be adversaries, while contributing to NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity in the region,” he added.
Global Guardian was an activity coordinated with NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s largest exercise in a generation. This included tracking of the aircraft by NATO maritime task groups and interception by F-35 Lightning Aircraft based on HMS Prince of Wales.
"Exercises like this are vital for the training of F-35 pilots, engineers and everyone involved onboard the aircraft carrier, as they represent a very realistic demand to scramble our aircraft with only minutes notice,” said Commodore James Blackmore, Royal Navy, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group onboard HMS Prince of Wales. “They also serve as a demonstration of just how quickly UK Armed Forces can react in the event of such an incident,” he added.
"From our afloat perspective it shows the flexibility that carrier strike capability brings to UK and Allied defence,” said Commodore James Blackmore. ”We are able to act as a mobile airfield, moving up to 500 miles per day, being placed wherever required to launch our jets at any time of day or night to carry out intercepts such as these,” he added.
The Global Guardian drills were an opportunity to work directly alongside air force colleagues based at UK air bases and from other Allies as the Carrier Strike Group transits north to continue combined multi-domain operations with forces during NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24.
The JEF Operational Headquarters, in London, contributed to the planning and coordination of the activity alongside various headquarters in Europe and North America. This training sortie was part of regular training activities by the RAF with the US Air Force and NATO Allies, integrated into the routine deployment of US Bomber Task Force aircraft to Europe.
It included integration and interoperability training with QRA assets from six out of ten JEF participant nations: Denmark, Finland, UK, Norway, Netherlands, and Sweden, with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) also provided by JEF participant nation Iceland.