US Air Force, NATO. Powerful F-35A Lightning II and F-15E Strike Eagle on exercises in Spain - YouTube

2 OCT 2022-Los Llanos Air Force Base,Spain*Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters and Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles,both of which are nuclear capable,on drills in Spain.Tactical Leadership Exercise (TLP) is to improve the performance of Allied air forces by developing the leadership;mission planning;tactical flying;and debriefing skills of participating NATO air crews.*Text by MIL3010 and edited by Andrew Taylor*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

USAF, NATO. B-1B Lancer bombers in Spain. Engine maintenance and combat missions -YouTube

B-1B Lancer strategic bombers were deployed by Air Force Global Strike Command out of Dyess Air Force Base,Texas.on a Bomber Task Force mission.The missions enable air crews to maintain a high state of readiness,proficiency and validate the USAF's always ready global strike capability.The strategic missions help develop the ability to operate in unfamiliar or austere locations and readily integrate with NATO Allies and Partners.The BTF mission is conducted in multiple combatant command Areas of Responsibility (AORs) and demonstrate the DOD'S ability to command and control its bomber forces for any assigned mission,anywhere in the world at any time,in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy.At the same time,the BTF mission includes achieving deterrence and defence for the NATO Alliance.*Furthermore,a B-1B Lancer has been pulled from the boneyard,an arrid repository of retired aircraft,at Davis-Monthan Air Fore Base in Tucson,Arizona.It is being refurbished to help with the surge in demand for Bomber Task Force missions.

Allied Air Command:Combined Air Operations for the Eastern Flank

On 9 March 2023,Allied Air Command led a dynamic,long-range operation above Romania.The Combined Air Operations Centre at Torrejon,Spain coordinated Allied bomber and fighter aircraft,NATO said.Romania is one of the Allies closest to the Ukraine War,being on NATO's Eastern Flank.During the drill,Italian Eurofighter Typhoons and US Air Force Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles supported by USAF B-52H strategic bombers carried out a simulated combined air offensive against adversary Air Defence systems simulated by Romanian F-16 Fighting Falcons,Spanish F/A-18 Hornets and the French Mamba Surface-Based Air and Missile Defence system (SBAMD) deployed in Romania. The participants were pitted against an intricate scenario based on near-peer threats,thus demonstrating Alliance readiness and capability for air control.The Allied units practised techniques,tactics and procedures (TTPs) designed to defeat a complex set of potential real-world challenges in a congested air domain,applying NATO standards against a full spectrum of threats.The operation was part of a programme of regular and repeated Vigilance Activities aimed at shielding NATO's Eastern Flank and reassuring Allies in the region.* The Boeing B-52Hs are currently on rotational deployment to Moron Air Base (pronounced Mor-OWN),Spain.Moron AB provides expeditionary combat support as an expandable Forward Operating Base to support transient/bed-down of aircraft operations;to provide staging of aircraft and personnel in support of US and NATO plans,exercises and contingency operations;and to provide Base Operating Support to tenant units. The B-52Hs at Moron are out of the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron,Minot Air Force Base,North Dakota.Such Bomber Task Force missions familiarise air crews with air bases and operations in different geographic combatant command Areas of Responsibility,validating our always-ready global strike capability.* Boeing (BA)

US Navy Sailor Lost Overboard During Baltic Operations

The US Navy has announced that Seaman Recruit David L. Spearman,19,was lost overboard from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missie destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) on 1 August 2022 in the Baltic Sea near Helsinki,Finland.During watch that afternoon,a lookout saw a person in the water.Man overboard procedures were initiated.The ensuing search involved both the German and Swedish Navies,as well as the Arleigh Burke's crew and the US Air Force.The search was called off on 2 August.* Seaman Recruit Spearman was from Etowah,Henderson County in Western North Carolina.He had completed training at Surface Warfare Engineering School Command in Great Lakes,Illinois in April.According to his commanding officer,Commander Pete Flynn,David made an oversized,positive impact on the warship.CDR Flynn also thanked all those involved in the extensive,day and night search and rescue efforts.Spearman,called "Dee" by his family,had a family history of naval service.* The Arleigh Burke is one of four destroyers forward-deployed to Rota,Spain.They are to be joined by two more destroyers as ordered by US President Joeseph R. Biden,bringing the total to six,in light of Russia's unwarranted aggression against Ukraine,which has necessitated an increased NATO presence along the Alliance's Eastern Flank.The augmented destroyer presence,long sought by U.S. European Command,will facilitate better sensing,command and control,and ballistic missile defence capability.* For if we live,we live to the Lord;and if we die,we die to the Lord.Therefore,whether we live or die,we are the Lord's.(Romans 14:8)

Increasing Firepower:Advanced Technology USN Warship Deployed to Rota,Spain

On 17 June 2022,the newest Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) member,USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117),arrived at its new homeport of Rota,Spain.It had recently been operating with NATO Allies Canada,France,Germany and Norway in Exercises Cable Car and Green Light.In the Baltic Sea,the high tech vessel had also integrated with the 2nd Marine Division and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group with the embarked Amphibious Squadron Six and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).What is more,the guided-missile destroyer interoperated with the new Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) during the inaugural deployment of the Sioux City.Paul Ignatius commanding officer Commander Aaron Arky said that:I couldn't be more proud of the team as they superbly conducted undersea,air-defence and expeditionary operations during this patrol.* The Paul Ignatius was commissioned in 2019 as the second of eight Flight IIA:Technology Insertion ships,bringing enhanced capability and technology advancements to U.S. Navy Europe and Destroyer Squadron 60 (DESRON 60),according to NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY ROTA.The heavily armed Arleigh Burke-class warship is able to conduct missions ranging from sea control and power projection to disaster reflief.Alongside the Paul Ignatius,Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 arrived in Rota as well,providing rotary-wing aircraft mission capabilities to the four FDNF-E destroyers deployed there.* Flight IIA:Technology Insertion destroyers are equipped with Aegis Baseline 9,which provides improved Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities.Their increased computing power and radar capabilities can quickly detect and react to modern air warfare and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) threats.The multi-mission ships provide a wide range of warfighting capabilities in the multi-threat air,surface and submarine warfare domains.Each of the destroyers is armed with 96 Standard,Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rockets (ASROC) and Tomahawk Air-to-Surface/Loitering Attack Missiles;a 5-inch Mark-45 gun;2 Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS);and two Mark-32 triple 324 mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46 or Mark-50 ASW torpedoes.

Sea Breeze,Steadfast Javelin II Exercises Prove NATO's Commitment

NATO is currently conducting the Sea Breeze 2014 naval exercise in the Northwest region of the Black Sea.It runs from 8-10 September.Three warships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two are participating,namely,the frigates HMCS Toronto from Canada;Spain's ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon;and Romania's ROS Regale Ferdinand.SNMG2 is one of four SNMGs.
On Monday,two Russian Su-24 Fencer fighter jets and a surveillance plane buzzed HMCS Toronto.The move was unnecessarily provocative,Canadian Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said.Russia dismissed the complaint,saying their aircraft were strictly in line with international law.*
The guided-missile destroyer USS Ross(DDG-71) hosted the opening ceremony on Monday.The Ross will actively participate in the entire spectrum of surface,air and sub-surface evolutions during this exercise,said Ross commanding officer Commander Tadd Gorman.These events will challenge the crew of Ross in their capabilities and level of knowledge.Anytime you exercise with other countries,and deal with language barriers,you're going to be challenged.That's the point of this exercise,overcoming these challenges and working together to become a team,CDR Gorman pointed out.
The Ross is forward deployed to Rota,Spain.*
Even as Sea Breeze was starting,Steadfast Javelin II was winding up.These seven-day exercises were underway across Latvia,Estonia,Lithuania,Germany and Poland,conducted by nine countries.About 2,000 troops participated,including the US Army's 173d Airborne Brigade and 2nd Cavalry Regiment with their Stryker armoured personnel carriers.They disembarked from C-17 and C-130 aircraft at Lielvarde Air Base,Latvia.
Steadfast Javelin II showed NATO's commitment to Baltic member states in the face of an assertive Russia.It simulated the deployment of NATO troops and equipment to another country during a crisis.*
At the NATO Wales Summit held last week,the alliance established a spearhead force of 4-5,000 troops capable of deploying across the alliance within 48 hours.The force builds upon intelligence,agility and precision-as opposed to weight of military force.It is an agile,precise,intelligence-led rapidly deployable force,NATO said.It reflects the alliance shifting its emphasis from the Afghan War to defending member nations in a direct way.

USS Donald Cook Reaches New Home

After departing from Norfolk,Virginia on 31 January,the guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook(DDG 71) arrived at its new homeport of Rota,Spain on 11 February.The ship is the first of four US Navy destroyers that are being moved to Rota.The USS Ross will follow later in 2014,and the USS Carney and USS Porter in 2015.
These warships have been or will be modified for ballistic missile defence,armed with SM-3 missiles that,together with the shipboard Aegis defence system,can detect,seek and destroy certain types of short and medium range ballistic missiles.A total of 18 Arleigh Burke class destroyers were initially selected for the modification,and more are expected to follow.*
The SM-3 was developed by the Missile Defense Agency from the SM-2 ER Block IV missile for sea-based defence against ballistic missiles in midcourse flight.The upgrade consists of a third stage;a GPS/inertial guidance system;and a Boeing kinetic warhead.
Besides destroyers,the SM-3 will be deployed on guided missile cruisers and Japanese destroyers.A version will also be deployed to European land bases.The SM-3 has intercepted and destroyed several test targets.
The Arleigh Burke class destroyers are also armed with Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles,5-inch guns and torpedoes.*
Boeing(BA)