The Allied Airpower Podcast

In this episode, we track six connected developments that show NATO’s air enterprise building readiness at speed — from advanced tactical training in Spain, to new operational frameworks in the High North, to live deterrence activity and counter-drone integration on the eastern flank.
We begin at Albacete Air Base, where nine Allies complete the year’s first Tactical Leadership Programme flying course. The three-week syllabus brings together aircrews, intelligence officers, and ground-controlled interception specialists for complex, high-end scenarios supported by opposing forces, surface-based air defence, and enabling assets like AWACS, tankers, transports, helicopters, and French Navy contributions. The story highlights how live flying is paired with high-fidelity simulation — including advanced flight simulators and the Modern Air Combat Environment — to qualify new mission commanders and strengthen composite air operations across the Alliance.
Next, the focus shifts north as Allied Command Operations announces Arctic Sentry, a multi-domain activity designed to strengthen NATO’s posture in the Arctic and the High North through persistent presence and integrated operations. The initiative frames the region as a strategic gateway linking North America and Europe, where sea lines of communication, air approaches, and critical infrastructure demand continuous situational awareness. A central pillar is Iceland Air Policing under ASIC IPPN, with Sweden currently conducting the mission in Iceland for the first time since joining NATO, while German Eurofighters and Danish F-35s operate from Keflavík in support of enhanced vigilance. Under ACO’s strategic direction and led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, Arctic Sentry aims to integrate national and NATO activities into a coherent operational framework across domains.
From there, we move to NATO’s eastern flank, where Spain forward-deploys Eurofighter Typhoons to Romania in a practical demonstration of Agile Combat Employment. Operating from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base alongside German Air Force personnel already on site, the Spanish detachment strengthens NATO Air Policing in the Black Sea region and reinforces deterrence through a flexible, scalable posture. The deployment is nested within Allied Air Command’s enhanced Vigilance Activities framework, Eastern Sentry, and spotlights the benefits of two Eurofighter-operating Allies cross-servicing aircraft, sharing expertise, and expanding operational flexibility under dynamic conditions.
That emphasis on integration continues over the Baltics, where Allied Air Command conducts an Integrated Air and Missile Defence training mission on Feb. 18, 2026, delivered as a Flexible Deterrent Option. Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Italian Eurofighter Typhoons operate alongside Spanish NASAMS elements, supported by air-to-air refuelling through a KC-30 MRTT, air mobility support via a Spanish A400M, and NATO AWACS. Controlled by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, the mission ties together airborne and surface-based capabilities to sharpen procedures and accelerate decision-making in a demanding air and missile defence environment.
We then build on that thread with Steadfast Dart 26 itself — a rapid-reinforcement exercise launched Jan. 15, 2026 and recently concluded — which places Allied airpower at the centre of multi-domain mobilisation across Central Europe. Led by Joint Force Command Brunssum and marking the Allied Reaction Force’s second deployment, the exercise integrates land, air, maritime, cyber, space, and special operations forces, with activity focused on Germany. Türkiye assumes the Combined Force Air Component Commander role through its Joint Force Air Component, while NATO AWACS supports commanders with an operational picture for decision-making. Allied Air Command’s contributions culminate in counter-UAS training over the Baltics, reinforcing the Alliance’s ability to assemble quickly, integrate across domains, and operate as one.
We close with a dedicated counter-UAS activity on Feb. 20, 2026, again under Eastern Sentry and linked to Joint Force Command Brunssum’s Steadfast Dart 26. German and Italian Eurofighters and Spanish F-18s train against a Turkish Bayraktar TB3 unmanned aerial vehicle, with AWACS providing airborne command and control and cross-domain coordination. Designed to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures and improve multi-domain integration, the activity illustrates how NATO links fighters, enablers, and unmanned systems to keep airspace secure and maintain credible defensive options across the eastern flank.
Together, these six stories show NATO strengthening the fundamentals — mission command, readiness, and integrated air and missile defence — while expanding operational frameworks from the High North to the Black Sea and sharpening the Alliance’s ability to respond rapidly in contested, multi-domain environments.


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In this episode, we cover six developments across NATO’s air and intelligence enterprise — a snapshot of an Alliance modernising national air capabilities, strengthening command-and-control and planning on the eastern flank, and sustaining 24/7 airspace security from the Baltics to the High North.
We begin with Croatia’s transition to a modern national air policing capability, as the Croatian Air Force assumes full responsibility for protecting Croatian airspace on Jan. 1, 2026. With Rafale multirole fighters replacing MiG-21 aircraft, and a completed conversion and training programme for pilots, technicians, and support personnel, the handover strengthens NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence network. The story also highlights how Allies ensured continuity during the transition, with interim coverage provided from Italy and Hungary.
Next, we move to Sigonella in Sicily, where the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force advances toward Full Operational Capability through the build-up of a new Mission Operations Support Center. With a newly security-accredited facility enabling the installation and testing of mission-critical systems, the force is moving through phased installation, integration, and validation while sustaining uninterrupted operations from interim infrastructure — a deliberate approach designed to deliver a resilient, future-ready operations hub.
We then widen the lens to NATO’s day-to-day air defence posture, as Allied Air Forces demonstrate enhanced Air Policing across the eastern flank and in the High North. The episode looks at operations spanning the Baltics, Poland, and Romania, and the integration of rotational detachments with national Quick Reaction Alert forces. A key moment comes on Jan. 22, 2026, as Swedish and Finnish fighters scramble nationally alongside Italian Eurofighters scrambled under NATO authority — underscoring growing interoperability between national air operations centres and NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centres. In the High North, the focus shifts to Iceland’s air policing framework and the Alliance’s sustained surveillance and interception capability.
From there, we return to Ramstein, as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits Allied Air Command to observe its round-the-clock role in safeguarding NATO airspace. His meetings and briefings highlight optimisation efforts in Integrated Air and Missile Defence and Ballistic Missile Defence, the role of the Allied Air Command Situation Centre in maintaining the Recognised Air Picture, and the importance of constant surveillance and coordinated decision-making in a complex security environment. The visit also features Eastern Sentry, NATO’s enduring multi-domain enhanced vigilance activity activated in 2025 to synchronise deterrence and defence measures along the eastern flank.
That thread continues with Eastern Sentry on the ground in Sofia, where a Joint Planning Team — bringing together planners from Allied Air Command, Joint Force Command Naples, and the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón — deploys to refine Bulgaria’s national contribution. Working side-by-side with the Bulgarian Air Force, the team focuses on operational planning, command-and-control integration, and information-sharing processes, strengthening interoperability and improving readiness and responsiveness across NATO’s eastern flank.
We close in Iceland with a historic first for NATO’s newest Ally, as Sweden leads the Icelandic air policing mission. Six Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters and more than 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 arrive at Keflavík Air Base to sustain Quick Reaction Alert from early February to mid-March 2026. Supported by NATO air-to-air refuelling through Multi-Role Tanker Transport assets, the deployment highlights operational reach, alliance interoperability, and the unique demands of high-latitude air defence — with Swedish aircrews operating under the direction of Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, in close coordination with the Icelandic Coast Guard.
Together, these stories show NATO reinforcing the fundamentals — persistent airspace security, integrated planning, and resilient mission operations — while accelerating interoperability and modernisation across the Alliance’s eastern flank and the High North.


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In this episode, we cover six developments across NATO’s air and multi-domain activity — a snapshot of an Alliance modernising its command-and-control backbone, sharpening readiness on the eastern flank, and accelerating fifth-generation interoperability across Europe.
We begin at Ramstein Air Base for a milestone in fifth-generation sustainment and Allied integration: a cross-servicing weapons load on a U.S. Air Force F-35A conducted by Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force weapons specialists during the European Air Chiefs Group meeting. Marking the first weapons load by non-American Allied maintainers on a U.S. F-35A, the event demonstrated practical interoperability — including shared safety procedures, data, and equipment compatibility — and reinforced NATO’s ability to sustain distributed fifth-generation operations across Allied bases.
Next, we shift to the inauguration of Lotto 4 at NATO’s Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC). The new operational structure represents a major step forward for NATO’s Air Command and Control architecture, combining a modern operations room and an innovation-focused Battle Lab designed to support high-intensity operations, resilience under pressure, and deeper multi-domain integration.
The next story we look at is on NATO’s eastern flank, as German Air Force Eurofighters deploy to Malbork, Poland, to assume NATO’s Air Policing mission. With five aircraft and roughly 150 personnel from Tactical Air Wing 31 “Boelcke,” the detachment reinforces NATO’s 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert posture, operating in coordination with the Polish Air Force and under the direction of NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem. The mission also highlights Germany’s ability to sustain concurrent Air Policing deployments, alongside its ongoing contribution in Romania.
From there, we move south to Italy for Exercise Poggio Dart 25, hosted by the Italian Air Force and led by the DACCC at Poggio Renatico. With more than thirty assets employed across live and virtual training, the exercise strengthened NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence readiness and tested interoperability across Allied and national systems. Deployable radar and control-and-reporting elements — paired with AWACS support — demonstrated NATO’s ability to coordinate complex operations in a multi-domain environment without reliance on fixed infrastructure.
Staying in Italy, we then examine the Italian Air Force special operations exercise Artiglio 2025, which integrated Special Forces with fourth- and fifth-generation air assets to operationalise NATO’s Agile Combat Employment concept and counter anti-access and area-denial threats. The exercise simulated austere operations from an advanced operating node, combining special reconnaissance and direct action with close air support, air interdiction support, and the controlled insertion and rapid regeneration of F-35A operations through a forward arming and refuelling point and “hot refuelling.”
Finally, in Poland, Allied Air Command led a NATO Find, Fix, Track, and Target (F2T2) training event involving forces from six nations: Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Conducted in support of NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity, Eastern Sentry, the mission tested multi-domain integration across air and land elements, including AWACS command-and-control, fighter operations, refuelling support, and ground-based coordination. The exercise highlighted Eastern Sentry’s flexible deterrence posture and NATO’s ability to synchronise sensors and shooters rapidly in contested environments.
Together, these six stories illustrate a NATO Alliance investing in modern command and control, reinforcing airspace security on the eastern flank, and pushing interoperability into real-world, fifth-generation execution — ensuring Allied Airpower remains ready, resilient, and integrated across the Euro-Atlantic region.


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In this episode, we explore six major developments across NATO’s air and multi-domain operations — a snapshot of an Alliance sharpening its readiness, accelerating integration, and strengthening deterrence across the Euro-Atlantic region.
We begin in the United States, where the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force completed a demanding deployment to Idaho for Exercise Gunfighter Flag 25-02. Twelve Dutch F-35s conducted advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground training alongside U.S. Air Force units, demonstrating NATO’s ability to rapidly project Airpower and operate together in high-intensity, contested environments.
Next, on NATO’s southern flank, the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force supported Neptune Strike 25-4 with its RQ-4D Phoenix fleet operating from Sigonella. This iteration marked several milestones, including NISRF’s first integration of an ISR Package Commander and simultaneous support to two Joint Force Commands. The mission delivered theatre-wide situational awareness and reinforced NATO’s multi-domain maritime readiness.
In the Baltic region, the Hungarian Air Forces completed a four-month Air Policing mission from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. Flying JAS-39C Gripens, Hungary executed more than twenty Alpha scrambles and maintained a 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert posture in cooperation with Spanish and Italian detachments. Their participation in multinational training missions strengthened interoperability and helped secure NATO’s eastern flank.
At Ramstein, U.S. Air Force aeromedical teams enhanced NATO’s medical readiness during the Medical Evaluation Course. Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron prepared a C-130H Hercules for a large-scale simulated evacuation, working alongside U.S. Army medical personnel and CCATT specialists. The exercise strengthened shared standards and improved Allied interoperability in critical-care air transport.
Across northern Europe, the U.S. Bomber Task Force concluded its latest deployment as B-52H Stratofortress bombers integrated with Finnish, Lithuanian, and Swedish fighter aircraft. Training missions rehearsed responses to anti-access and area-denial threats while showcasing the principles behind NATO’s newest enhanced Vigilance Activity, Eastern Sentry. The deployment showcased NATO’s ability to project its defensive shield across the High North and Eastern Flank.
Finally, at Allied Air Command Headquarters, SACEUR — General Alexus G. Grynkewich — emphasized warfighting readiness during his visit to Ramstein. Meeting with Lieutenant General Jason T. Hinds, he highlighted the need for a warfighting mindset across all levels of command and reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to integrated, multi-domain defence. His visit underscored the Alliance’s focus on adaptation, unity, and preparedness in an evolving security environment.
Together, these six stories illustrate a NATO that is training harder, integrating more deeply, and preparing collectively for the challenges ahead — ensuring Allied Airpower remains ready, resilient, and decisive across the Euro-Atlantic area.


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In this episode, Jose “Houdini” Davis sits down with U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Brennan “Thor” Gallagher, one of Allied Air Command’s key operational leads behind Eastern Sentry, NATO’s newest vigilance activity along the Alliance’s Eastern Flank. A U.S. Air Force Weapons School graduate, rescue C-130 pilot, and senior planner in AIRCOM’s A35 directorate, Thor brings deep operational and strategic expertise to a conversation that unpacks both the origin and the ambition of NATO’s Eastern Sentry.
Thor explains how Eastern Sentry emerged as NATO’s immediate response to repeated Russian drone violations in September — airspace intrusions that made clear the Alliance had to shift to a more proactive, integrated air defence posture. This evolution is not cosmetic; it represents a structural change in how NATO protects its populations and airspace. Instead of reacting to incursions, Eastern Sentry pushes sensors, shooters, aircraft, and cyber/space capabilities forward, creating a flexible defensive lattice from the Baltics to the Black Sea.
As the operational lead for Eastern Sentry, AIRCOM is working closely with LANDCOM, MARCOM, and other NATO entities, developing a “sensor-to-shooter ecosystem,” where land-based counter-UAS systems, maritime patrol aircraft, satellite-enabled ISR, and Airpower are bound together by command and control as the glue.
The episode also highlights how Eastern Sentry has triggered a surge of Allied contributions. Nations including Czechia, Germany, France, Denmark, and others have surged aircraft, sensors, and special operations helicopters to reinforce the integrity of NATO’s eastern airspace. These activities — mirrored in real-world events like the Rafale launch out of Poland during an Eastern Sentry alert — demonstrate the speed, cohesion, and credibility of the Alliance’s integrated response network.
Thor walks listeners through how Eastern Sentry is also becoming a proving ground for innovation, testing new counter-UAS technologies, mobile radar units, and rapid sensor-to-shooter links. In partnership with Allied Command Transformation and other NATO components, Eastern Sentry is evaluating systems already gaining traction, shaping what deterrence will look like on NATO territory in the years ahead.
Recorded Monday, 27 October 2025.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit natoaircom.substack.com