NATO
Allied Air Command
June 16, 2022
NATO Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem controls largest BALTOPS air play
From June 5 to 17, fourteen NATO Allies and Partners Finland and Sweden are participating in the multinational maritime-focused annual exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS). NATO’s Northern Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) staff ensure control of participating aircraft.
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“This year, we are controlling the ‘air-heaviest’ BALTOPS scenario in the history of the exercise, with a total of more than 75 Allied and Partner aircraft operating from sea-based and land-based platforms. We are planning over 400 sorties which more than doubles our sorties from last year,” said Colonel May. “The missions we are controlling cover the whole spectrum from air-maritime, air-air and air-to-ground to anti-submarine, air-to-air refuelling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drills. We have up to 40 aircraft airborne in one 3-hour serial,” he added….
The growth in aircraft sorties is also facilitated by the fact that – for the second time – BALTOPS integrates the German-led Multinational Air Group Days (MAGDAYs) generating additional sorties in support of the joint maritime-led training drills. Fighter jets from Germany, Belgium, Turkey, the United States and Partners Finland and Sweden as well as NATO E-3A and tanker aircraft are involved in this training event within the NATO concept of the Multinational Air Group for which German is a framework nation.
Anti-bellum 