Belgian quick reaction fighter pilots were tested this year when a commercial aircraft went “comms-silent” over Europe. As part of the new joint Benelux air policing mission for NATO, they were scrambled to intercept the flight.
In a new arrangement for NATO air policing, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will work together to secure their skies. While air assets will patrol their own skies as normal, when they cross into the airspace of one of the other two countries participating in the missions they will pass under the control of that country, thus increasing effectiveness and pooling of resources.
Belgium is the first country in the lead and has been tested more than once this year during intercepts of commercial aircraft that have lost communications with air traffic control.
When an Air India plane lost communications with air control due to a technical failure, Hungarian, German and, finally, Belgian pilots flew fighter jets alongside the 787 Dreamliner plane, which was carrying 231 passengers, for two hours as it passed over Europe.
SHOTLIST:
00:00 VARIOUS AERIAL SHOTS OF BELGIAN F16 FIGHTER JETS IN THE AIR (NO SOUND)
00:09 SPEEDED UP GO PRO SHOT OF PILOT LANDING IN F16 JET
00:10 VARIOUS SHOTS OF PILOT MAKING PRE-FLIGHT CHECK OF AIRCRAFT
00:19 PILOT “FOREST” (CALLSIGN) GEARING UP TO FLY
00:44 VARIOUS VIEWS OF F16 WARMING UP AND GOING THROUGH PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS
00:50 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF CANOPE LOWERING
01:08 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF EXHAUST NOZZLE OPENING
01:15 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF PILOT DISEMBARKING JET
01:18 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF PILOT RUNNING DURING TRAINING SCRAMBLE
01:42 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF PILOT EMBARKING JET DURING TRAINING SCRAMBLE
01:46 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF PILOT CLIMBING INTO COCKPIT DURING TRAINING SCRAMBLE
01:54 SLOW MOTION SHOT OF F16 JET TAKING OFF
02:10 F16 JET TAXIING ON RUNWAY
02:17 SHOT OF PILOT TAKING OFF HELMET
02:20 VARIOUS SHOTS OF AIR CONTROL PERSONNEL AT GLONS CONTROL AND REPORTING CENTRE DURING TRAINING EXERCISE
02:51 PAN OF F16 EXHAUST NOZZLE
02:56 PAN OF F 16 SIDE VIEW
03:01 PAN OF PILOT
03:06 GO PRO SHOTS OF PILOT RUNNING DURING TRAINING SCRAMBLE
03:11 GO PRO SHOT OF F16 JET EXITING HANGAR
03:19 GO PRO SHOT OF CANOPE LOWERING
03:22 GO PRO SHOT OF PILOT RUNNING TO F16
03:23 GO PRO SHOT OF PILOT’S BOOTS CLIMBING INTO F16
03:27 GO PRO SHOT OF CANOPE LOWERING INSIDE COCKPIT
03:31 SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)
Major “Forest”, Quick Reaction Alert pilot
“The air policing mission is basically based off a scramble. Whenever there’s a problem, be it a threat or any aircraft which is popping up unexpected, we will intercept and intervene on that aircraft”
03:44 SOUNDBITE (FRENCH)
Lt Col Ralph Briers, Base Commander, Control and Reporting Centre, Glons
“We intercepted the aircraft, we proved that it was a communication error from the pilots, we managed to get it on the right frequency and they continued their flight back home. My team performed excellent and I have to say the NATO procedures for which we trained so many times worked splendidly.”
04:04 SOUNDBITE (DUTCH)
Major “Forest”, Quick Reaction Alert pilot
“In case of unexpected movement in the airspace, we will intercept the aircraft to find out what the intentions of the aircraft are.”
04:16 --SOUNDBITE—(FRENCH)
Lt Col Ralph Briers, Base Commander, Control and Reporting Centre, Glons
“We intercepted the aircraft and realised that the pilot had made an error in communications. We asked them to correct it and afterwards the plane was able to continue its flight to London.
I think the team reacted really well and proved that the NATO procedures that we train for regularly worked well.”
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