RAMSTEIN, Germany – German and Italian Baltic Air Policing detachments integrated with B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the United States, over Lithuania’s Cudgel Range, as part of Bomber Task Force (BTF) 25-1 Exercise Vanguard Merlin, 14 and15 November 2024.
The BTF mission also featured multinational cooperation, with a B-52 Stratofortress conducting air-to-ground training guided by Lithuanian, Czech, Swedish, and Norwegian joint terminal attack controllers. The Norwegian specialists temporarily deployed to Lithuania further demonstrated NATO’s assurance and deterrence objectives, showcasing a unified Alliance ready to respond to complex challenges.
“When we do live drops in ranges throughout NATO, all Allies and partners get the chance to enhance readiness capabilities,” said United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Inga Wuerges, a tanker planner with the 603rd Air Operations Center, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
German and Italian jets integrated with B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the United States, over Lithuania’s Cudgel Range. Photo courtesy of the Italian Air Force
German and Italian Air Force detachments, currently supporting NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, escorted the B-52s through the Baltic. Photo courtesy of the Italian Air Force
BTF integration exercises enable NATO aircrew to strengthen interoperability and operational readiness. Photo courtesy of the German Air Force
The B-52s were escorted through the Baltics by both German and Italian Air Forces, supporting NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission. Ensuring security over the skies 24/7, the Italian Eurofighters in Šiauliai, Lithuania and the German Eurofighter jets operating from Lielvarde, Latvia demonstrate the agility of NATO air assets that are ready to respond to any potential threat to the Alliance.
For 20 years, NATO has been committed to the BAP mission as a regional arrangement of peacetime Air Policing. Demonstrating the ability to share and pool existing capabilities, seventeen Allies have deployed their fighter jets in consecutive detachments safeguarding the skies over the Baltic Sea. BAP is regionally controlled by NATO Allied Air Command’s Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem located in Germany.
"This Bomber Task Force mission exemplifies our unwavering commitment to our European Allies and partners. Together, we build stronger, more strategic relationships that reinforce security and stability across the region,” said General James Hecker, Allied Air Command Commander.
This integration exercise enabled NATO aircrew to strengthen interoperability and operational readiness, reinforcing the Alliance’s capacity to operate cohesively. By building on shared capabilities, NATO continues to bolster its collective security framework, ensuring stability across the Euro-Atlantic region.