RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - NATO’s commitment to collective security is demonstrated during the one-day Baltic Region Training Event that takes place at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, on Nov. 3.
The seventh BRTE brings a NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System Boeing 707 and United States Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft to the base at Šiauliai. During the event these assets will interact with air command and control facilities in Uedem, Germany, and Karmelava, Lithuania, as well as USAF F-15C Eagle fighters. The fighters are stationed on-site until the end of the year to conduct the Alliance’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
On Nov. 3, the two Hercules transport aircraft arrive in the area. One aircraft conducts a tactical off-load at Šiauliai Air Base. “The tactical off-load is an all-weather, all-terrain method to get humanitarian or mission-essential goods immediately to the people on the ground,” says Maj. Enrique Hernandez-Medel, BRTE VII project officer at NATO’s air headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, “the C-130's can land on a short unimproved runway, off-load supplies with the engine running and take off again. Another aircraft can then follow to do the next off-load.”
The other C-130 flies on and simulates a loss of contact to the civilian Air Traffic Control agencies. The Control and Reporting Centre at Karmelava reports that incident to the Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, which orders the USAF F-15C Quick Reaction Alert (Intercept) – in short QRA (I) – fighters at Šiauliai Air Base to launch and check what is going on in the skies. During the whole event, NATO AWACS maintains a radio link to the CRC and the fighters for exchange of information.
“This event demonstrates that NATO trains as it operates,” says Maj. Rolandas Greibus, Chief of operations planning (A3) of Lithuanian Air Force staff, “everyone has a vital role to play in this. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania appreciate that they benefit from the Alliance solidarity, and we are proud to return our share to the joint effort by the staff we send to man the NATO Integrated Air Defence System.”
The F-15C's will escort the C-130 to Šiauliai. All aircraft, to include the NATO AWACS will land at Šiauliai Air Base, where media have an opportunity to talk to aircrews and see the aircraft.
BRTE's are one-day training events organized by NATO’s Ramstein-based air headquarters to enhance regional air integration and exercise rotational QRA(I)s. The events are open to partner countries.
| Date Taken: |
10.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
11.02.2010 02:50 |
| Story ID: |
59260 |
| Location: |
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, DE |
| Web Views: |
71 |
| Downloads: |
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