SwAF Gripens Participate in NATO Exercise Ramstein Alloy
Swedish Air Force Gripen fighters recently joined several NATO Air Forces to participate in Ramstein Alloy, an air policing exercise conducted over the Baltic Sea.
The exercise, which took place between 20th and 21st of this month, had the participation of Italy, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The simulated exercises covered several real-mission like scenarios e.g. slow interception in the event of loss of communication, air policing drills and interoperability building missions. The scheduled exercises included Dissimilar Aerial combat training (DACT), command and control procedures, air to air combat training, as well as a search and rescue exercise.
The two-day exercise is conducted three times every year in various Baltic states. All exercises are planned by NATO’s Allied Air Command, the same entity that oversees all Air Policing over European NATO nations.
The Baltic States joined NATO in 2004, and ever since, the Baltic Air Policing mission started because Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania do not have their own Air Forces.
Exercise Ramstein Alloy gives the participating nations an opportunity to practice routine procedures and enhance interoperability among NATO and partner air forces. More than 16 fighter aircraft participated this time, including the Swedish Gripen fighters and the Finnish F/A-18 Hornet.
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