Royal Air Force personnel based in Estonia have participated in a large-scale air exercise alongside NATO Allies and aircraft from the Finnish Air Force.
RAF and German Air Force Typhoon fighters based at Amari Air Base in Estonia flew training sorties alongside various aircraft from across the NATO Alliance and Finland. For the exercise, the integrated Anglo-German detachment, conducting the NATO Air Policing mission, was joined at Amari by four Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornets.
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In addition to the jets flying from Amari, four F-35A from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, two Polish Air Force F-16s, two French Air and Space Force Rafales and two US Air Force F-15 Strike Eagles took part in the exercise as well as a German Air Force A400M that carried out Air-to-Air Refuelling.
This has been a great opportunity to enhance our ability to effect cutting edge operations alongside NATO Allies and partner nations.
The success of this seven-nation event is testament to the RAF’s flexibility and agility to concurrently deliver the Air Policing Mission, whilst integrating with 4th and 5th generation aircraft from a broad range of current and future Allies.
Wing Commander Maccoll,
Commander of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing
The exercise was carried out in Estonian and Latvian airspace to test integrated air-to-air combat and air-to-ground target acquisition. It was also the first time that Finnish F/A-18s have flown from Amari Air Base since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and following the likely approval of their accession to NATO.
The exercise was visited by the UK, Finnish and German Ambassadors to Estonia. During the visit the Finnish Ambassador, Vesa Vasara, said: “We are very pleased that the final ratification for Finland’s membership [to NATO] seems to be within the pipeline within [the coming] days”.
During the same visit the UK’s Ambassador, Ross Allen, also said: “The message today is really about three things: interoperability and learning how to do more together; cohesion amongst allied partners; deterrence and our commitment jointly to defend Estonia, to defend NATO and to defend Europe.”
The RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing and German Air Force’s Tactical Air Wing 71 ‘Richtofen’ are currently conducting combined NATO Air Policing from Amari Air Base, bolstering security in the region, and enhancing interoperability. The deployment demonstrates the UK’s commitment to defending NATO and upholding security in the region.
