NATO holds live-fire air policing drills over Baltic Sea
NATO has held its Exercise Ramstein Alloy 20-1 air policing drill to train air crews in procedures and coordination between partner air forces.
Belgian and Polish F-16 fighter aircraft (pictured) were joined by a Lithuanian C-27 transport aircraft and one Mi-8 SAR helicopter, a German A400M air-to-air refueller, Finnish F-18C/D and Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters.
All participating platforms were deployed and controlled through the Control and Reporting Centres in Karmelava and Tallinn.
A shared NATO E-3A AWACS platform was also operated to support the fighter aircraft.
On the first day, the central scenario involved an air force scramble after a COMLOSS situation whereby a civilian airliner had lost communications with air traffic control.
A SAR mission scenario also took place where a Lithuanian Mi-8 helicopter rescued an ejected F-16 crew member. Belgian, German and Swedish jets carried out practice diversions with fly-bys over Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania.
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