On June 7-8 the second repetition of Ramstein Alloy, exercise of NATO allies and partners, this year will take place in the Baltic airspace to enhance cooperation and interoperability of air forces in the Baltic region.
On both days of the exercise fighter aircraft of the two countries currently conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission, Portugal and the United Kingdom, also of Germany and of NATO partner Finland will take part in aerial drills and QRA actions according to exercise scenario. C-27 J Spartan transport aircraft and AS365+ Dauphin helicopter of the Lithuanian Air Force, aerial refuelling aircraft of U.S. and German air forces, airborne early warning E-3D aircraft from Waddington (UK) will provide support during the exercise aiming to step up cooperation and interoperability of allied and partner air forces through refinement of aircraft identification methods, actual interception and swift response to real-life situation.
According to the exercise scenario, a transport aircraft losses communication contact, fighter jets are dispatched to intercept the aircraft in distress and escort it to Šiauliai Air Base. Other parts of training held in altitudes of 6km will not be visible from the ground. It will train the participants the so called diversions to civilian airports which are executed in real life in case there is no possibility to land in a military airport. During the drills the participating aircraft will conduct low approaches to civilian airports in Palanga and Vilnius and test their abilities to cooperate with civilian air traffic controllers at these airports. It will improve the skills of both, the military and the civilian participants, and prepare them for a potential emergency.
Ramstein Alloy is a continuation of the NATO-Partner exercise Baltic Region Training Event (BRTE) series which was introduced in 2008.
Just like the predecessor BRTEs, Ramstein Alloy provide a two-day training event, three times a year, in the airspace of one of the countries in the Baltic region. The firs host nation of this year's Ramstein Alloy was Estonia.
Ramstein Alloy is conducted by NATO's Headquarters Allied Air Command at Ramstein, Germany, and the Allied Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany, just like BRTEs.
Major goals of Ramstein Alloy are to enhance relations among regional air forces and to further develop interoperability, provide training for NATO's rotational Baltic Air Policing assets and Baltic aircraft controllers (i.e. the Combined Control and Reporting Centre in Karmėlava) providing control for the BAP assets, as well as honing cooperation with with NATO partner Finland.
POC: chief executive Ingutė Rukaitė, Lithuanian Air Force, 00370 37 307 652, 00370 614 35 697; e-mail Ingute.Rukaite@mil.lt
Photo: MoD archive
