A NATO AWACS aircraft patrols NATO’s eastern skies in support of Eastern Sentry, reinforcing Allied defence and readiness against threats along NATO’s borders.
Synopsis
The first surveillance flight of NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) was conducted over NATO’s eastern flank in support of a military activity called “Eastern Sentry” on 19 September 2025. This multi-domain activity is a direct response to recent airspace violations — including the incursion of multiple Russian drones into Polish airspace on 10 September 2025. Eastern Sentry will further strengthen NATO’s posture to shield and protect all Allies.
Footage includes shots of the AWACS aircraft stationed at the NATO Air Base in Geilenkirchen, Germany and the AWACS aircraft during a surveillance flight over NATO’s eastern flank, as well as interviews with the deputy of the operations wing of the E-3A Component of NATO AWACS and the head of public affairs of NATO AWACS.
Transcript
SHOTLIST
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO E-3A AIRBORNE WARNING & CONTROL SYSTEM (AWACS) AIRCRAFT PARKED ON THE TARMAC AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN, GERMANY.
(00:09) VARIOUS SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE FLIGHT ENGINEER PERFORMS PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS.
(00:24) VARIOUS SHOTS – U.S. AIR FORCE GROUND CREW CONDUCT PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTIONS.
(00:42) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW BOARD THE AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(00:47) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT CONDUCTS AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING WITH U.S. AIR FORCE KC-135.
(01:07) MEDIUM SHOT – GERMAN PILOT ON NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING WITH US AIR FORCE KC-135.
(01:12) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE FLIGHT ENGINEER MONITORS THE SYSTEMS OF THE AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:18) VARIOUS SHOTS – GREEK PILOT ON NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING WITH US AIR FORCE KC-135.
(01:32) MEDIUM SHOT – U.S. AIR FORCE KC-135 AIRCRAFT RETRACTS BOOM AFTER COMPLETING AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING
(01:39) VARIOUS SHOTS – BELGIAN AND GREEK PILOTS ON NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER POLAND.
(01:53) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE FLIGHT ENGINEER MONITORS AWACS SYSTEMS IN-FLIGHT.
(02:07) MEDIUM SHOT – GERMAN PILOT ON NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER POLAND.
(02:12) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO CREW MEMBER FROM THE UNITED STATES MONITORS THE RADAR SYSTEMS ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:25) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW FROM GERMANY AND POLAND MONITOR THE SKIES OVER POLAND ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:30) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW FROM GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES MONITOR THE SKIES OVER POLAND ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:51) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW FROM GERMANY, ITALY AND THE UNITED STATES MONITOR THE SKIES OVER POLAND ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(03:00) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW FROM ITALY AND ROMANIA MONITOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(03:05) VARIOUS SHOTS – AWACS CREW PREPARE FOR LANDING.
(03:30) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. MICHAEL B. - DEPUTY OF THE OPERATIONS WING OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE, NATO.
“Our mission is supporting Eastern Sentry. It’s the first stages of the military activity of Eastern Sentry through a compilation of enhanced radar picture and presence and along the eastern flank of NATO.”
(03:43) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. MICHAEL B. - DEPUTY OF THE OPERATIONS WING OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE, NATO.
“NATO AWACS has a unique capability, that we can provide early warning with a long-range detection of low-level targets. We are increasing our presence along the eastern flank.”
(03:56) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. MICHAEL B. - DEPUTY OF THE OPERATIONS WING OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE, NATO.
“NATO AWACS supports the deterrence and defence of the NATO alliance through the early-warning capabilities our unique platform has; we then share the information to compile an air picture through automatic data links to our Allies so that they can counter these potential threats.”
(04:19) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. CHRISTIAN BRETT – HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF THE NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Earlier this month, Russian drones violated NATO airspace. Today, we are flying the first AWACS mission in support of the new military activity « Eastern Sentry ». We’re flying a surveillance mission on the eastern flank over Poland.”
(04:34) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. CHRISTIAN BRETT – HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF THE NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE, NATO.
“Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we've conducted those surveillance missions on the eastern flank almost every day. What's new now, in the new set-up, is that collaboration and cooperation is at a new level.”
(04:47) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. CHRISTIAN BRETT – HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF THE NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE, NATO.
“We're here to gather as much information as possible about possible threats to the airspace of the Alliance and then report it off to our Allies, so that they can react to every possible threat.”
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