On 6 March 2026, NATO’s AWACS took to the skies over the Barents Sea for its first surveillance flight supporting the enhanced vigilance activity “Arctic Sentry.”
Arctic Sentry is a multi‑domain activity that brings together exercises, troops and capabilities from several NATO Allies to strengthen security across the Arctic and the High North. By strengthening surveillance and sharpening joint readiness, it helps ensure that NATO and Allies can respond collectively to challenges in one of the world’s most strategically important regions.
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 the Barent Sea, as well as interviews with a US Air Force aircraft commander and a Norwegian Air Force tactical director of the E-3A Component of NATO AWACS.
SHOTLIST
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO E-3A AIRBORNE WARNING & CONTROL SYSTEM (AWACS) AIRCRAFT PARKED ON THE TARMAC AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN, GERMANY.
(00:22) MEDIUM SHOT – US AIR FORCE PILOT PERFORMS PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS.
(00:27) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW PREPARE TO TAKE OFF.
(00:44) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW MONITOR THE SYSTEMS OF THE AWACS AIRCRAFT AFTER TAKE OFF.
(01:02) MEDIUM SHOT – ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE PILOT ON NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER EUROPEAN AIRSPACE.
(01:08) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES DISCUSS FLIGHT PLANS WHILE FLYING OVER EUROPEAN AIRSPACE.
(01:21) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA, NORWAY AND ITALY MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:37) VARIOUS SHOTS (NO SOUND) – NATO AIRCREW FROM BELGIUM, FINLAND AND THE UNITED STATES DISCUSS THE MISSION ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:50) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY AND THE UNITED STATES MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:59) MEDIUM SHOT (NO SOUND) – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:10) MEDIUM SHOT (NO SOUND) – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA, DENMARK, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, TÜRKIYE AND THE UNITED STATES MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:17) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW FROM THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:23) MEDIUM SHOT – NATO AIRCREW FROM THE UNITED STATES, DENMARK AND FINLAND MONITOR THE SKIES ABOARD NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(02:30) VARIOUS SHOTS – US AIR FORCE PILOT BEGINS DESCENT INTO NORWAY.
(02:47) CLOSE UP SHOT – ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE PILOT BEGINS DESCENT INTO NORWAY.
(02:54) VARIOUS SHOTS – NATO AIRCREW FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES PREPARE FOR LANDING.
(03:25) VARIOUS SHOTS – UNITED STATES AIR FORCE FLIGHT ENGINEER PERFORMS POST-FLIGHT CHECKS AFTER LANDING.
(03:36) SOUNDBITE – MAJOR JASON – UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
Currently, we are flying over the Barents Sea in the Arctic region, and we're executing one of our enhanced vigilance activities. So, what that means for us is gathering as much information as we possibly can and ensuring that all the decision-makers have that at their disposal as necessary.
(03:50) SOUNDBITE – MAJOR JASON – UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
Our job as a NATO AWACS is to be the eyes in the sky, so what we're looking to do is to gather information from aerial assets, naval assets, and provide that critical data to decision-makers to make sure we put our people in the best position possible. Our job is to really protect and defend the High North and our presence here is a demonstration of our unity and our collective effort to ensure we secure this region.
(04:09) SOUNDBITE – MAJOR JASON – UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
I think it's one of the most unique things about NATO. My personal favourite part is the opportunity to work with different nations, people from different backgrounds, a breadth of different experiences, all coming together for one collective mission, one collective fight. Today, for example, in our enhanced vigilance activity sortie or flight today, we have 12 different nations, individuals from all different disciplines coming together in one unified effort, and that to me is the most incredible thing.
(04:30) SOUNDBITE – MAJOR JASON – UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, AIRCRAFT COMMANDER OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
Well, this is a great opportunity for us and our people to be able to test our capabilities in the High North and the Arctic region, where temperatures are a factor whenever it comes to mission planning, flying and operating. For us, it's critical to be able to operate in these moments and when a situation presents itself, we’re ready to respond at any given moment, at any given place, at any given time.
(04:47) SOUNDBITE – LT.COL. OLE – NORWEGIAN AIR FORCE, TACTICAL DIRECTOR OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
Exercise Cold Response is a multinational exercise led by Norway, with more than 20,000 troops participating. NATO AWACS is here to provide air and surface picture, to the commanders in the headquarters, for them to make better decisions. And then we're also contributing at the same time with enhanced vigilance activities for Arctic Sentry.
(05:13) SOUNDBITE – LT. COL. OLE – NORWEGIAN AIR FORCE, TACTICAL DIRECTOR OF THE E-3A COMPONENT OF NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
Exercise Cold Response gives the Allies the opportunity to come together and train cold weather operations in the High North and the Arctic under harsh conditions.
USAGE RIGHTS
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