Demanding Scenario:Air Shielding NATO'S Eastern Flank

On 22 August 2022,NATO'S Allied Air Command (AAC) directed a large-scale,multinational drill over Slovakia.Participating were military personnel from France,Slovakia,the UK and the US.The complex,long-range operation had many of the Allies fly from their home bases,supported by air refueling tankers.Among the aircraft were fourth and fifth generation fighter jets such as the F-22 Raptor,Rafale,MiG-29,and Eurofighter Typhoons,as well as B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base,North Dakota.The strategic bombers had flown from RAF Fairford,England on a Bomber Task Force mission. During the exercise,the formation flew against joint German/Netherlands Surface Based Air and Missile Defence Patriot Missile batteries that had been deployed to Slovakia to shield NATO'S Eastern Flank.The essential joint training involved executing precision strikes while enhancing Alliance interoperability and heightening readiness.It was the B-52s' first mission since arriving in England on 18 August.* According to Air Marshal Johnny Stringer,Deputy Commander AAC,the participation of such a diverse and capable array of Allied aircraft demonstrates the Alliance's ability to react to any threat across the Euro-Atlantic area,while also demonstrating the reach,interoperability and agility of the Allied forces as they ensure freedom of access and maintain collective security.The USAF bombers will continue to execute similar missions over the next few months in the European theatre of operations.* The Air Shielding drill prepared NATO forces to operate in a contested and sophisticated threat environment,thus ensuring a capable and credible response to any aggression such as that displayed by Russia in its senseless invasion of Ukraine's sovereign territory.After the Slovakia exercise,the B-52s were escorted by Turkiye F-16 Fighting Falcons through Turkish airspace.As for the fifth generation F-22s,they had arrived in Europe at RAF Lakenheath,England on 26 July en route to Poland's 32nd Tactical Air Base,Lask.The Raptors are out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,Alaska.They are deployed for four-five months in support of the Air Shielding mission,the purpose of which is to safeguard NATO Allies from air and missile attacks by leveraging both air and ground-based assets.Air Shielding provides a near seamless shield from the Baltic to the Black Seas.The F-22s are ideally suited to the mission,being a highly strategic warfighting platform.Over the next year,the Air Force will have various types of aircraft rotating into Europe for approximately four month deployments to supplement its permanent deployments.After a year,the Air Force will reassess and adjust as necessary,said U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Force Africa and Allied Air Command's new commander,General James B. Hecker.A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and veteran of the Afghan War,General Hecker was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster;the Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters;the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters;the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star;and the NATO Kosovo Medal,among many others.*