The Portuguese Air Force Detachment at Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania trained with the Standing NATO Maritime Group One during an anti-surface warfare exercise on October 29. This mission reinforced integration between naval and air assets, and enhanced the procedures for optimizing target acquisition, identification and employment of anti-ship weapons. This exercise involved the participation of Portuguese F-16s conducting operations from Siauliai Air Base as well as the Portuguese Frigate Corte-Real, currently part of the multinational integrated force of the Standing NATO Maritime Group One, under the Operational Control of the NATO Allied Maritime Command.
A Portuguese F-16 pilot assigned to Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania for enhanced Air Policing practised with the Standing NATO Maritime Group One during an anti-surface warfare exercise on October 29. (Photo by Portuguese Air Force)
“Multi-domain exercises enhance our ability to Integrate and synchronize effects across different domains and generate multiple, complex dilemmas for adversaries,” said Major Emídio Fernandes, Portuguese Air Force Detachment Commander.
Besides the Portuguese frigate, the simulated anti-surface warfare mission involved naval assets from Canada (HMCS FREDERICTON), Spain (ESPS ALMIRANTE JUAN DE BORBÓN) and United States of America (USS ARLEIGH BURKE). Apart from the Air policing missions, maximizing the training opportunities with the rest of the allied forces in the Baltic’s represents a critical objective for Portuguese eAP mission, since it serves as a unique opportunity to enhance interoperability and improve tactics, techniques and procedures within the NATO allied forces.
