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CF-188 Hornets from the Canadian Air Task Force Lithuania participate in the
19th Baltic Region Training Event (BRTE) in Estonia from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.
Christian Timmig, HQ AIRCOM PAO Photo
Four CF-188 Hornets from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), which are currently deployed in Lithuania in support of NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) Block 36, participated in the 19th Baltic Region Training Event (BRTE) from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2014.
“We are quite excited to participate in NATO Baltic Air Policing and the Baltic Region Training Event, which demonstrate NATO’s assurance and commitment to safeguarding peace and security in the Baltic States,” said Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) David Pletz, Commander of the Canadian Air Task Force (ATF) Lithuania.
This year’s BRTE focused on increasing the effectiveness of NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System as well as enhancing relations among air forces in the region including members of Partnership for Peace, Finland and Sweden. The training was conducted in the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian airspace as well as in the international airspace above the Baltic Sea.
“BRTE 19 has been a fantastic training opportunity that serves to further enhance the robust partnership and interoperability amongst NATO Allies in promoting safe and secure skies,” said LCol Pletz.
During the training, the Baltic skies witnessed fighter jets from Portugal (F-16), Canada (CF-188), Germany (EF-2000), Netherlands (F-16), Finland (F-18), and Sweden (JAS-39) working side by side with Estonian military aircraft (L-410 and AN-2), NATO AWACS (E-3D) from the United Kingdom and KC-135R tanker from the United States.
Supporting the air assets during the training were NATO ground control centres at the Combined Air Operations Centre in Germany, the Control and Reporting Centre in Lithuania, the Control and Reporting Point in Estonia, as well as civilian Air Traffic Control agencies.
“It was impressive to see NATO interoperability at its finest,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Pletz. “We’ve worked really well together and demonstrated the alliance’s credible collective solidarity.”
The training event was conducted on a routine basis to further hone NATO’s air policing standards and capabilities. Air policing is not directed against any nation, it is a tool of the alliance to ensure territorial integrity and ensure airspace safety and security. All participating aircraft conducted the training professionally and remained under positive control of civilian and military ground controllers.
More than 130 Canadian Armed Forces members from various RCAF Wings across Canada are deployed in support of the ATF Lithuania, the air component of Operation REASSURANCE, which is Canada’s contribution to NATO assurance measures that promote peace and security in Central and Eastern Europe.
