Synopsis
Italian F-35s took to the Baltic skies this week (29-30 June 2021) as part of a NATO Air Policing exercise. Ramstein Alloy, as it’s known, tests procedures, drills and processes for the quick-reaction forces that safeguard the skies in the Baltic region.
The F-35s, which are a 5th generation aircraft, were also joined by Estonian L-39 Albatross jets, the NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft as well as F/A-18 Hornets from partner country Finland. They practised simulated scenarios such as communications loss and slow mover intercepts.
Ramstein Alloy is a recurrent exercise that runs several time in a year. The 2021 exercise series coincides with the 60th anniversary of the formation of NATO’s Air Policing mission.
Footage includes various shots of Italian F-35 aircraft taking off and landing at Amari Air Base in Estonia and conducting interception training in the Baltic skies, as well as interviews with an Italian F-35 pilot, the Chief of Staff of the Estonia Air Force and the Deputy Commander of the NATO E-3A Component.
Transcript
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN PILOTS REACT TO SCRAMBLE DRILL DURING TRAINING AT AMARI AIR BASE IN ESTONIA
(00:20) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN PILOTS BOARD F-35 AIRCRAFT
(00:41) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 PILOT TESTS AIRCRAFT MECHANICS
(01:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – F-35 AIRCRAFT LEAVE HANGAR AND TAXI DOWN RUNWAY AT AMARI AIR BASE IN ESTONIA
(01:38) VARIOUS SHOTS – F-35 AIRCRAFT TAKING OFF FROM AMARI AIR BASE TO TAKE PART IN TRAINING DRILLS
(01:59) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT ESCORTING AN ESTONIAN L-39 ALBATROSS DURING INTERCEPTION TRAINING
(02:11) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT DURING EXERCISE RAMSTEIN ALLOY IN ESTONIA
(02:24) COCKPIT SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT ESCORTING SMALLER JET DURING INTERCEPTION TRAINING
(02:31) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT
(02:43) COCKPIT SHOT – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT ESCORTING ESTONIAN L-39 ALBATROSS DURING INTERCEPTION TRAINING
(02:49) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT
(03:05) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT FLYING ALONGSIDE FINNISH AIR FORCE F/A-18 HORNETS
(03:34) VARIOUS SHOTS – ITALIAN F-35 AIRCRAFT TAXI DOWN RUNWAY AFTER COMPLETING INTERCEPTION TRAINING
(03:59) TIMELAPSE – NATO AWACS AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC AT AMARI AIR BASE IN ESTONIA
(04:12) VARIOUS SHOTS – ESTONIAN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER IN TOWER DURING EXERCISE RAMSTEIN ALLOY
(04:33) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – COLONEL JANEK LEHISTE, CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ESTONIAN AIR FORCE
“Ramstein Alloy by itself, it’s quite routine training. It takes place three times a year and it’s been here since 2008 but, again, it is important because it’s a visible presence of Allies and assurance that our skies are protected and defended, and secondly, it’s important for our crews, our Command and Control Centre crews, for air crews, because it provides opportunity to train and practise all those air policing procedures and play out all the possible events that could happen daily.”
(05:11) SOUNDBITE (ITALIAN) –F-35 PILOT, ITALIAN AIR FORCE
“The F-35 is a new weapons system used by NATO, which is now available for Italy and other Allied countries. For the first time, it is used in the Baltic area for QRA [quick reaction alert] procedures. The F-35 enables the pilot and the entire command and control chain to take advantage of the new capabilities inherent to his weapons system. First of all, it is a stealth platform, but most importantly it has cutting-edge sensors that can provide the pilot with better information from a tactical standpoint, and distribute this information to all the decision-makers who need this information in order for them to make better decisions and carry out better operations.”
(05:53) SOUNDBITE (ITALIAN) –F-35 PILOT, ITALIAN AIR FORCE
“Being part of NATO is like being part of a big family, a family in which there’s brotherhood and solidarity. This ensures that in every part of the world in which we’re operational, be it for training purposes or for real operations, you are certain you’ll meet someone with whom you’re familiar with, it gives you the feeling of being able to count on NATO’s solidarity.”
(06:14) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – COLONEL BAS PELLEMANS, DEPUTY COMMANDER NATO E-3A COMPONENT
“The AWACS of course has been flying since 1982, so approaching 40 years next year and over that period of 60 years we’ve been part of air policing for 40 years and it usually is done from Geilenkirchen that we have planned missions to provide that picture but it could also be that, when we are on an exercise and a situation occurs in the air, that we are called for assistance, so basically for us it has been bread and butter for 40 years.”
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