On the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine, we are witnessing intense activity of NATO assets in European skies. The flight paths highlight a wide range of operations, with reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft operating in various strategic areas.
- USAF Boeing B-52H Stratofortress (reg. 60-0044): A (pair?) U.S. strategic bombers is flying over the Baltic Sea on a mission that can be described as deterrence, flying near the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and heading towards the St. Petersburg area. The B-52H is often used for deterrence missions and joint training with NATO forces.
- USArmy Bombardier 650 Artemis (reg. N159L & N488CR): Two electronic surveillance aircraft are operating near Kaliningrad and along the eastern border of the Baltic states. These aircraft are equipped with Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) collection systems, used to monitor enemy communications and other electronic activities.
- Swedish Air Force Gulfstream Korpen (reg. 102002): A Swedish Air Force aircraft dedicated to electronic surveillance is flying near the Polish border with Belarus. It is worth noting that one of the effects of Putin’s aggressive policies has been Sweden’s accession to NATO.
- NATO Boeing E-3A Sentry (reg. LX-N90444 & LX-N90442): Two of these AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft are in flight and will operate from Romania to “cover” western Ukraine (where commemorative ceremonies are taking place in Kyiv with the participation of several European leaders) and the Black Sea. These aircraft provide advanced aerial surveillance and tactical coordination for allied forces.
Three years after the Russian invasion and amid a crisis in relations between the Trump administration, Europe, and Ukraine, this type of activity is the best response NATO can offer to Russia and its imperialist ambitions towards neighboring states and beyond.
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