NATO Allies participate in exercise over Poland

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RAMSTEIN, Germany - NATO aircraft from the United States Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force integrated during aerial drills over Poland supported by a NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&FC) plane enhancing interoperability on February 15, 2024.

Integrating and practicing with NATO Allies during air operations is of great importance

U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II and KC-135 Stratotanker flying out of bases in the United Kingdom integrated with the Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35A fighters and a NATO E-3A from the NAEW&FC Allies to conduct a find, fix, track, and target (F2T2) exercise over Poland.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II performs a low pass over the flightline at Royal Air Force Lakenheath. The F-35A provides a combination of low observability and multi-mission capability. Archive photo by Dhruv Gopinath.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A and a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35A flying alongside during combined training drills practicing interoperability and collaboration among aircrew. Archive photo courtesy Royal Netherlands Air Force.

An F-35A Lightning II latches on to a boom to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during integrated flying training in support of NATO's collective defence within the European theatre. Archive photo by Jessica Sanchez-Chen.

A NATO AWACS aircraft taking off for a training mission. The plane provides battle management and fighter control functions during combined aerial drills. Archive photo courtesy NATO Airborne Warning and Control Force.

F2T2 exercises require participating members to execute multi-domain operations by employing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets to locate and communicate potential target locations to other aircraft with capabilities to strike the targets in an established time limit.

Participants accomplished all training objectives for the exercise. The successful execution of this exercise demonstrates the close cooperation between U.S. and NATO Allied forces, builds on previous efforts to enhance NATO interoperability, and furthers our shared commitment to global security and stability.

According to the Royal Netherlands Air Force pilots who participated in the combined drills, Allied air forces must be prepared to be deployed quickly in a world that is rapidly changing and where safety cannot be taken for granted; integrating and practicing with NATO Allies during air operations is therefore of great importance.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office based on input provided by United States Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs Office

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