NATO Air Policing - Warfare Today

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RAF Typhoons Demonstrate Breadth and Scale of NATO Air policing Mission

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Liam, Editor, Warfare.Today

Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters have taken part in a demonstration of the breadth and scale of the NATO Air Policing mission.

Typhoon FGR4 fighters conducting a practice interception over the North Sea.

The NATO Allied Air Command’s Air Policing peacetime mission is designed to ensures the integrity of Allies’ airspace and to protect Alliance nations by maintaining constant surveillance of NATO airspace. When necessary fast jets will be scrambled in response to military and civilian aircraft in distress or which are not following international flight regulations.

The Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzne) also operate the Fighting Falcon.

In addition to protecting UK airspace, RAF Typhoon squadrons from RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth have in recent years conducted air policing in Romania, the Baltic and, most recently, Iceland.

Lieutenant General Klaus Habersetzer, who commands one of the two Combined Air Operations Centres which monitor all NATO airspace said:

“Concentration, being professional and being vigilant is a clear demonstration of the willingness of the Alliance to react promptly and accordingly. In peacetime it’s one of the strongest signals we can send about our commitment, our burden sharing and our assisting each other.”

Lieutenant General Klaus Habersetzer

Danish airspace is protected by the Royal Danish Air Force (Flyvevåbnet) using the F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon. Source: RAF