{"id":39583,"date":"2023-04-06T19:14:14","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T19:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/06\/largest-air-exercise-in-nato-history-to-include-hundreds-of-guardsmen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:13:20","slug":"largest-air-exercise-in-nato-history-to-include-hundreds-of-guardsmen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/04\/06\/largest-air-exercise-in-nato-history-to-include-hundreds-of-guardsmen\/","title":{"rendered":"Largest air exercise in NATO history to include hundreds of Guardsmen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. \u2014 NATO countries this summer will launch the largest military air exercise in the transatlantic alliance\u2019s 74-year history, spanning more than 220 aircraft and 10,000 participants from 24 nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exercise Air Defender, slated for June 12-23, aims to project a united front in Europe as Russia\u2019s yearlong war in Ukraine slides toward stalemate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Around half of those assets will belong to the U.S. Air National Guard, which is dispatching units from 46 wings across the country, an unusual show of force for the part-time component.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/ukraine\/2023\/04\/04\/us-to-send-ukraine-another-26-billion-in-military-aid\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23094007462911.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US to send Ukraine another $2.6 billion in military aid<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The latest U.S. package brings the total amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to more than $35.1 billion since Russia invaded in February 2022.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trip marks the Air Guard\u2019s biggest transatlantic deployment since the Gulf War, ANG boss Lt. Gen. Michael Loh said at a media briefing here Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is now putting the alliance together quickly, with a credible force, to make sure that if Russia ever lines up on the NATO border, that we\u2019re ready to go,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to defend every inch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air Defender \u2014 the German-led aviation counterpart to the U.S. Army\u2019s annual Defender Europe exercise \u2014 has been in the works since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s no set scenario that pits NATO forces against a particular foe, Loh said. But the event will broadly offer Guard units the chance to gain valuable experience in the region and to work hand-in-hand with their European counterparts, Loh said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou have to start with the basics,\u201d he said. \u201cThe first will be defensive counter-air. The second one will be more focused on close air support and ground attack. The third one will be offensive counter-air.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/photo-galleries\/2022\/03\/06\/ukraine\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Ukraine<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Participating assets include the U.S. Air Force\u2019s A-10C attack plane; F-15C, F-16 and F-35A fighter jets; MQ-9 reconnaissance and attack drones; C-17 and C-130H cargo aircraft; and KC-46 and KC-135 tankers. They\u2019ll be joined by U.S. Navy F\/A-18 fighters, NATO E-3 airborne target tracking jets, German A400 tankers, and about a dozen other types of aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Air-Fiard_KC135.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Air-Fiard_KC135.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Air-Fiard_KC135.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Air-Fiard_KC135.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Air-Fiard_KC135.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska National Guard, refuels a German Tornado Sept. 9, 2022, during Ample Strike. The exercise involved forces from the U.S., Czech Republic, Germany and other allies. (Master Sgt. R. Denise Mommens\/Air National Guard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finland, which officially joined NATO on Tuesday, will take part as well. Ukraine is not involved in the event, Loh said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Troops will begin arriving in Europe on May 29, nearly two weeks before Air Defender officially begins. Allies plan to stage operations from Iceland to Romania, with most flights taking place over three regions of Germany and the North Sea. They\u2019ll also practice quick-turn missions to remote airfields in Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Airmen will face simulated surface-to-air missiles, electronic communication jammers and other replicas of real threats. Some could be told to work through their options after sustaining battle damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One challenge for airmen: ensuring that ground crews can take care of any type of aircraft, anywhere in NATO, if weather, damage or an attack diverts it from its route.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/03\/31\/the-us-air-force-sent-f-35s-to-defend-nato-heres-what-it-learned\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1000w_q95-7-7.jpg-7.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">The US Air Force sent F-35s to defend NATO. Here\u2019s what it learned.<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">NATO\u2019s eastern flank has become an ideal proving ground for America\u2019s most advanced fighter jet.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of the air bases doesn\u2019t actually have \u2026 enough fuel, if you actually had to load up all the tankers out of there. So, how do we expand [refueling]?\u201d Loh said. \u201cHow do we get fuel out of aircraft into bladders on the ground, so that we can refuel other things?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mobility bases may be asked to receive fighter jets and return them to the fight. European maintainers would be tasked to fix American aircraft. Foreign joint terminal attack controllers \u2014 the name for ground troops who direct aircraft to their targets in the field \u2014 would get the chance to call in A-10C Thunderbolt II attack planes and MQ-9 Reaper drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Introducing aircraft like this can show the international force what capabilities every platform has to offer, and it let\u2019s airmen learn from each other. It\u2019s also a trial run in case NATO becomes embroiled in a war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don\u2019t want the first time A-10s check in \u2026 with German JTACs to be when Russian tanks are crossing into NATO,\u201d said Capt. Adam Casey, an A-10 pilot in the Michigan Air National Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exercise will also help troubleshoot more forward-looking ideas, like using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2020\/01\/06\/what-if-air-force-tankers-became-a-communications-node\/\" target=\"_blank\">KC-46 Pegasus tanker as a communications node<\/a> to pass information between faraway jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/04\/04\/us-hosts-enlisted-leadership-course-for-ukrainian-airmen-in-germany\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/230322-F-HH678-1063.jfif_.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US hosts enlisted leadership course for Ukrainian airmen in Germany<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">It&#039;s among the latest U.S.-led efforts to bolster Ukraine&#039;s combat prowess against Russian forces.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Airmen said the deployment will provide the chance for the Air National Guard to think bigger and more critically than it has in the past, or in the repetitive practice of their daily routines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis kind of experience is something that we don\u2019t have the opportunity to do on a regular basis, especially with our NATO partners,\u201d said Lt. Col. Adam Uhan, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot with the Wisconsin Air National Guard. \u201cWe\u2019re getting out of our comfort zone, and this is the kind of experience that we can take back \u2026 to the younger generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a ripe opportunity to smooth out the logistics of shipping cargo and setting up bases in a conflict that could span millions of square miles, Uhan told Air Force Times. Mobility crews have to piece together the puzzle of who is best equipped to deliver materiel in a timely manner, and how to most efficiently keep hundreds of aircraft fueled up across several different countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Texas-Air-Guard-MQ-9-Reaper.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Texas-Air-Guard-MQ-9-Reaper.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Texas-Air-Guard-MQ-9-Reaper.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Texas-Air-Guard-MQ-9-Reaper.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Texas-Air-Guard-MQ-9-Reaper.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the 147th Attack Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare to launch an MQ-9 Reaper during a readiness exercise at Ellington Field JRB in Houston Nov. 4, 2022. (Senior Airman Hannah Kirschman\/Air National Guard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others like Maj. Karl McGarvey, an MQ-9 pilot with the Texas Air National Guard, look forward to reconnecting with the European service members whom American guardsmen advise under the State Partnership Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Czech troops will handle launching and recovering the MQ-9 while McGarvey sits at the controls, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/2022\/08\/02\/nato-fortifies-eastern-europes-defenses-under-new-air-shielding-mission\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1000w_q75-1-3.jpg-3.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">NATO fortifies Eastern Europe\u2019s defenses under new \u2018air shielding\u2019 mission<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Stronger air and missile defenses will remain in place in Eastern Europe for the long run, a NATO official said last month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A successful exercise can pave the way for other large-scale air deployments in Europe as the security situation on NATO\u2019s eastern flank evolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith Air Defender, we send a clear signal that we absolutely guarantee the security of the alliance, without ifs or buts,\u201d the German air force said. \u201cThe war in Ukraine determines our present and shapes our future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, the German air force\u2019s top officer, says the aircraft speak for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe won\u2019t write [Russia] a letter,\u201d he said. \u201cI think they get the message.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exercise Air Defender, slated for June 12-23, aims to project a united front in Europe as Russia&#8217;s yearlong war in Ukraine slides toward stalemate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":72079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":67,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","news","home","left-column"],"primary_category":"your-military"}}},"categories":[101,24,88,16,26,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3392],"class_list":["post-39583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"7OLFFNFJUJCCBE6DQG5XFNCGOY","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/04\/06\/largest-air-exercise-in-nato-history-to-include-hundreds-of-guardsmen\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Largest air exercise in NATO history to include hundreds of Guardsmen - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Exercise Air Defender, slated for June 12-23, aims to project a united front in Europe as Russia&#039;s yearlong war in Ukraine slides toward stalemate.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Largest air exercise in NATO history to include hundreds of Guardsmen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Exercise Air Defender, slated for June 12-23, aims to project a united front in Europe as Russia&#039;s yearlong war in Ukraine slides toward stalemate.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/04\/06\/largest-air-exercise-in-nato-history-to-include-hundreds-of-guardsmen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Air Force TImes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-04-06T19:14:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T21:13:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. 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