Redskin301
Active Member
Here my first post in the video and photo forum. In January 2020 just before covid, I was able to fly along in the Belgian Air Force A320 from Brussels to Siauliai to visit the NATO QRA detachment there. During this video the Belgian 349 Squadron was temporarily based at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania for the Baltic Air Policing at the beginning of 2020. The Belgian Air Force provided a flight from Brussels to Siauliai to witness a scramble of the Belgian F-16 detachment. During the flight from Brussels to Siauliai, the Airbus was intercepted by several fighters on Quick Reaction Alert from France, Great Britain, Denmark, Finland and Poland. These air to air shots are seen in the first part of this video as well when the Airbus was intercepted. The second part of the video shows how the Belgians of the 349 Squadron handle a QRA Scramble in real life. At Siauliai the Belgian 349 Squadron from Kleine-Brogel Air Base gave an excellent demonstration how a scramble is processed on the ground. NATO forces are always 24/7 on standby to defend the European airspace against unwanted intruders.
Scrambles are in the north of Europe coordinated by the CAOC Uedem in the northwest of Germany. This organization is responsible for NATO Air Policing north of the Alps. Like its sister CAOC at Torrejón, it has a Static Air Defense Center, conducting 24/7 peacetime Air Policing, and provides trained and qualified staff to the NATO Command Structure Joint Force Air Component at Ramstein. For Air Policing, CAOC Uedem works closely with Control and Reporting Centers, Control and Reporting Posts and National Air Policing Centers, allowing for thorough coordination of peacetime Air Policing operations, procedures, and robust command and control. This includes control of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing operation, where contributing nations take turns in providing Quick Reaction Alert forces for the mission. The CAOC at Uedem also controls NATO’s mission in Iceland, where Allies rotate fighter squadrons for three to four week training deployments providing Airborne Intercept Capabilities to ensure Iceland’s airspace security.
Really an unforgettable experience to be intercepted 6 times during one flight. Many thanks here to the Belgian Air Force and NATO to make this happen.
Scrambles are in the north of Europe coordinated by the CAOC Uedem in the northwest of Germany. This organization is responsible for NATO Air Policing north of the Alps. Like its sister CAOC at Torrejón, it has a Static Air Defense Center, conducting 24/7 peacetime Air Policing, and provides trained and qualified staff to the NATO Command Structure Joint Force Air Component at Ramstein. For Air Policing, CAOC Uedem works closely with Control and Reporting Centers, Control and Reporting Posts and National Air Policing Centers, allowing for thorough coordination of peacetime Air Policing operations, procedures, and robust command and control. This includes control of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing operation, where contributing nations take turns in providing Quick Reaction Alert forces for the mission. The CAOC at Uedem also controls NATO’s mission in Iceland, where Allies rotate fighter squadrons for three to four week training deployments providing Airborne Intercept Capabilities to ensure Iceland’s airspace security.
Really an unforgettable experience to be intercepted 6 times during one flight. Many thanks here to the Belgian Air Force and NATO to make this happen.