For example, the German and Spanish air forces protect NATO’s eastern flank in Estonia. Convicted child murderer executed in Texas

The German air force once again took part in the protection of NATO’s eastern flank. Last week, German pilots, together with Spanish pilots, monitored the airspace above the NATO member states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which border Russia, on behalf of NATO.

According to the air force, 40 soldiers and three Eurofighters were stationed at the Estonian military airport Ämari, which were integrated into the Spanish mission and are now being transferred back to Germany.

During the operation, Spanish and German fighter jets patrolled the airspace in mixed squadrons. “We deployed our troops to strengthen and support the Spanish mission. “That worked very well,” Lieutenant Colonel Georg Hummel, who led the German contingent in Ämari, told the German news agency on Saturday. “I am very satisfied with the result.”

“Alpha Scramble”

According to Hummel, during the joint operations week, Eurofighter crews from Germany and Spain had to go to an alert takeoff, a so-called “Alpha Scramble,” to identify a Russian military aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea without electronic identification. . There were also daily practice sessions.

Unlike the German-Spanish cooperation that took place last year, this time the air force was the junior partner – and used the weapons of the Spanish air force. “It required a rethink for us to adapt to the conditions and procedures of the Spanish allies in the mission,” Hummel said. Apart from minor language hurdles, there were no problems coordinating the ground and air processes.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania do not have their own fighter jets. NATO has therefore been securing the Baltic airspace since 2004. To this end, the allies regularly move combat aircraft and personnel to the Baltic Sea states in Northeastern Europe.

(dsc/sda/dpa)