Synopsis
NATO’s AWACS aircraft are patrolling Allied airspace in Eastern Europe, in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. NATO’s Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System aircraft has a distinctive radar dome mounted on the fuselage which allows the crew to survey an area of more than 310,798 square kilometres, or about the size of Poland.
More information on NATO’s AWACS can be found here https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_48904.htm
Footage includes shots of NATO AWACS taking off and images from onboard the aircraft, and soundbites from Major Dan “Rhino” Reinhardt, Tactical Director, and Lieutenant Patricia “Mad Dog” Nersten, Weapons Controller from NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force.
Transcript
---SHOTLIST—
(00:00) WIDE SHOT – NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(00:05) WIDE SHOT – A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT FLIES OVER NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(00:10) WIDE SHOT - A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT LANDING.
(00:17) CLOSE SHOT – AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY CLEARS A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT TO LAND.
(00:24) WIDE SHOT – NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(00:30) VARIOUS SHOTS - NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT TAXIING AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(00:41) MEDIUM SHOT – RADAR DOME OF THE NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(00:47) MEDIUM SHOT - NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT REFUELLING.
(00:52) CLOSE SHOT – NATO LOGO ON THE SIDE OF NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(00:56) CLOSE SHOT – RADAR DOME OF THE NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:00) CLOSE SHOT – UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(01:05) VARIOUS SHOTS – A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT TAKING OFF FROM NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(01:56) VARIOUS SHOTS – CREW MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS NATO ALLIES SAT IN FRONT OF SCREENS WORKING INSIDE A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT.
(03:10) VARIOUS SHOTS – INSIDE THE COCKPIT OF A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT.
(03:23) VARIOUS SHOTS – INSIDE THE COCKPIT OF A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH TO NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(03:55) CLOSE SHOT – INSIDE THE COCKPIT OF A NATO BOEING 707 E-3A AWACS AIRCRAFT AS IT TAXIS BACK FROM RUNWAY HAVING LANDED AT NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN IN GERMANY.
(04:06) SOUNDBITE - MAJOR DAN “RHINO” REINHARDT, TACTICAL DIRECTOR, NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Today’s mission is three-fold - by flying over Poland today we are defending the Alliance so we are ensuring that no unidentified aircraft enter in NATO territory. We are deterring aggression, we do not want anybody to be aggressive towards NATO. And then we are assuring our Eastern partners that we are here watching their backs ensuring they are not surprised by anything.”
(04:31) SOUNDBITE - MAJOR DAN “RHINO” REINHARDT, TACTICAL DIRECTOR, NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Since the invasion, our ops tempo has gotten higher at Geilenkirchen. We’re definitely flying more than we usually do, however our actual mission has not changed.
(04:48) SOUNDBITE - MAJOR DAN “RHINO” REINHARDT, TACTICAL DIRECTOR, NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Our radar has a range that’s over 400 kilometres so it really depends on where we are orbiting as far as how far into any country we can see, but we can see far enough into both those countries [Belarus and Russia] that we can protect our NATO partners and they will not be surprised by anything that’s flying in their vicinity.”
(05:06) SOUNDBITE - LIEUTENANT PATRICIA “MAD DOG” NERSTEN, WEAPONS CONTROLLER, NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Since the Russian incursion, there has been a lot more activity with our job. We have been more productive than we typically are in order to ensure that we are always ready if called upon and to keep an eye out on everything that is happening and provide good updates for intel.”
(05:26) SOUNDBITE - LIEUTENANT PATRICIA “MAD DOG” NERSTEN, WEAPONS CONTROLLER, NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL FORCE
“Personally it’s really good to be involved with everything that is going on. We are really looking to solidify NATO relationships, make sure that we are going out there to do the job and support any way we can, and it feels good to be a part of a mission this big.”
