RAMSTEIN, Germany – NATO Allies conduct training mission over the Baltic Sea, August 15, exercising integration and enhancing capabilities in the air domain.
Four Spanish Air and Space Force’s F-18s from the enhanced Air Policing detachment at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, linked up with Italian Eurofighters, Swedish Gripens, and Finnish F-18s to train together in a common airspace.
The Italian Eurofighters are currently based out of Šiauliai, Lithuania, and are part of a four-month NATO Baltic Air Policing deployment.
A Spanish Army surface-to-air missile (SAM) detachment also participated in the exercise, allowing NATO Allies to train together and collaborate on the Alliance’s eastern flank.
Spanish, Italian, Swedish and Finnish fighters exercise integration over the Baltic sea. Photo courtesy of the Spanish Air and Space Force
The mission allowed for NATO Allies to train together and collaborate on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Photo courtesy of the Spanish Air and Space Force
Airbus 330 Multirole Tanker Transport aircraft from the Netherlands Royal Air Force provided re-fueling support. Photo courtesy of the Spanish Air and Space Force
Additionally, given the distance for the Spanish F-18s to fly from Romania to the Baltics, the Spanish fighters were refueled on multiple occasions on their journey by an Airbus 330 Multirole Tanker Transport aircraft from the Netherlands Royal Air Force.
The air-to-air training mission was controlled by the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) located in Lielvarde, Latvia, supported by interception controllers from the Latvian Air Force.
The exercise demonstrated NATO’s unified deterrent presence on the Alliance’s eastern flank, enhancing force capability and availability for ensuring air superiority. The air policing detachments working together also provided pilots tactical training in different airspaces, testing their proficiency alongside Allied Air Forces.
Allied presence on NATO’s Eastern Flank serves as a deterrence and defence measure for securing Allied airspace.