(Source : NATO) – Coordinated NATO Air Power Response Safeguards Allied Airspace 

RAMSTEIN, Germany – Allied Air Command through its two subordinate Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOCs) at Uedem, Germany, and Torrejon, Spain, conducted a consolidated response to Russian Federation Air Force planes flying in international airspace over the North Atlantic.

In the morning of 11 March 2020, NATO’s CAOC at Uedem received an indication from the recognized air picture – an overview of all airborne activities in the skies over Europe – that Russian Federation Air Force Midas tanker aircraft escorted by two fighter aircraft had taken off and were flying around northern Norway in a southwesterly direction followed. The formation was followed by two Russian strategic Tu-142 Bear F martime patrol aircraft.

The NATO CAOC launched Norwegian Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighter aircraft out of Bodoe, Norway. Upon take off they identified and subsequently escorted the Russian planes which after being refueled off the Norwegian coast flew on southward and continued west of the United Kingdom and, subsequently, west of Ireland. Meanwhile the CAOC launched the Royal Air Force QRA Typhoons out of Lossiemouth and alerted an RAF tanker aircraft and a French airborne warning and control plane to support the mission.

The two Russian planes continued into the Gulf of Biscay where they were met by French and Spanish fighter aircraft. They turned around to fly back using the same route and were escorted by RAF and Norwegian fighters. The event ended in the late afternoon on 11 March and took place over international waters in the neighborhood of NATO Allies Norway, United Kingdom, France and Spain. (…)

This event – routine in nature – showcased NATO’s capabilities and responsiveness in a coordinated complex response to the Russian air activity. During the roughly 14-hour event the CAOC at Uedem controlled the collective mission involving Norwegian, British, French and Spanish fighter and support aircraft with support from the CAOC at Torrejon, Spain, and a French AWACS airborne control plane. (…)

 

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Photo credit © Both Combined Air Operations Centres at Uedem and Torrejon coordinate and control the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System of sensors, control centres and fighter aircraft protecting the Allies 24/7/365,  Sébastien Raffin, NATO, as published in ibid