RAMSTEIN , Germany – On September 11, 2024, Allied aircraft from NATO Nations; Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, United States, and United Kingdom integrated over Poland in a NATO led find, fix, track, and target (F2T2) exercise.
The F2T2 exercise required precise coordination with all domains - air, land, sea, cyber, and space - to execute. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets were used to locate notional targets and communicate target locations to other air or ground assets with capabilities to strike the targets in an established time limit.
“Executing these multi-domain exercises ensures NATO assets are ready to respond to any potential threat to the Alliance”, said General James Hecker, Commander Allied Air Command. “Integration exercises offer opportunities to improve military readiness, tactical proficiency, and the agility of our forces,” he added.
More than 18 fighters and 2 bombers, refueling and support aircraft from seven nations worked in close coordination under the command and control of 4th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, Germany. Four Spanish F-18 Hornet currently deployed on NATO’s Air Policing mission, joined the mission from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania.
Spanish F-18 Hornet currently deployed on NATO’s Air Policing mission, joined the mission from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base. Photo courtesy of the German Air Force
Demonstrating the agility of NATO air assets with the integration of two B-52 Stratofortresses. Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force
Integration exercises offer opportunities to train and demonstrate Alliance capabilities. Photo courtesy of the German Air Force
“These kinds of exercises are an incredible opportunity to train and demonstrate Spanish F-18 Hornet capabilities and determination” said Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Ichaso, Spanish detachment Commander. Adding “Almost a 6-hour flight with refueling, in coordination with other NATO assets, to deliver our high precision strike capabilities against any possible target is a big and important challenge for the PAZNIC detachment.”
In addition to the Spanish fighters, the Netherlands participated with their 5th generation F-35 aircraft, Germany with Tornado fighters and the Danish Air Force with F-16s. Poland and the United States provided ISR assets, and air-to-air refueling capabilities were provided by Germany and the United Kingdom.
The exercise further demonstrated the agility of NATO air assets with the integration of the two B-52 Stratofortresses, launching from and returning to the United States as part of the 24-4 Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission.
BFT 24-4 is a component of Large-Scale Global Exercise 2024, an umbrella term that incorporates many exercises and military activities. Enabling dynamic force employment in the European theatre and opportunities for crews to maintain a high state of readiness, the integration into Allied multi-domain operations demonstrates the United States Air Force’s global strike capability.
The ability to deliver precision global strike capabilities underscores the transatlantic link within the NATO Alliance and represents a steadfast commitment to protect NATO territory and populations, safeguard the airspace and support a stable security environment by deterring potential aggression.