The Allied Airpower Podcast

Across these seven updates, NATO’s air and maritime activity in May 2026 points to a clear operational theme: the Alliance is strengthening its ability to operate as an integrated, distributed, and resilient force across multiple regions at once. From the Mediterranean to the Baltic, from Sweden and Finland to Norway and Greece, the focus is not only on presence, but on readiness, interoperability, Agile Combat Employment, ISR, air defence, and multi-domain integration.That theme was visible in Neptune Strike 2026, led by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO across the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea. The activity brought together carrier strike groups, amphibious strike groups, land-based forces, air assets, and maritime forces to demonstrate NATO’s ability to project deterrence across the Alliance’s southern and south-eastern flanks. AIRCOM contributed through integrated air operations involving Royal Air Force Typhoon Eurofighters deployed to Romania and Romanian F-16s. Their work alongside forces from Albania, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal, and Türkiye showed how routine assurance missions such as Eastern Sentry can connect directly to wider NATO readiness, reinforcing the idea that air policing, maritime strike, and multi-domain activity are increasingly part of one defensive framework.The same message carried into Lithuania, where around 100 French Air and Space Force aviators deployed to Šiauliai Air Base for NATO’s Baltic Air Policing 71 mission. Flying four Rafales, the French detachment took over from Spain and joined Romanian and Portuguese F-16 detachments in safeguarding the Baltic states’ airspace. The mission combined operational readiness with Allied training, including air defence drills between French Rafales and Romanian F-16s over the Baltic Sea. The central point was interoperability: not only having compatible equipment, but understanding how other Allied crews think, communicate, maneuver, and respond under pressure.Sweden’s AURORA 26 expanded that focus from air policing into national defence, reinforcement, and distributed operations. As Sweden’s first Aurora exercise as a NATO Ally, it brought about 18,000 participants from 13 countries together across Sweden, the Baltic Sea, and Gotland. Swedish JAS 39 Gripens, Dutch AH-64 Apache helicopters, air defence assets, airlift platforms, and air-ground integration all supported the wider joint scenario. A key airpower contribution came through Agile Combat Employment (ACE), with Swedish and Finnish personnel conducting aircraft cross-servicing on JAS 39 Gripens and F/A-18 Hornets at Kalmar civilian airport in Sweden. The exercise also included aeromedical evacuation training with Swedish, Finnish, Dutch, and U.S. teams, as well as counter-UAS training informed by Ukrainian drone experience. Together, these elements showed how NATO’s newer members and long-standing Allies are building practical readiness for dispersed, contested, and multi-domain operations.In Greece, NATO Tiger Meet 2026 focused on the human and tactical side of Allied air integration. Hosted by 335 Squadron of the Hellenic Air Force at Araxos Air Base, Greece, the exercise brought together aircrew, maintainers, and support personnel from Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. Aircraft included F-16 Fighting Falcons, Eurofighters, Gripens, Tornados, Hornets, Venom helicopters, and HH.101 helicopters. The exercise blended tradition with operational relevance, giving participating units a demanding multinational environment in which to refine tactics, build trust, and adapt to threats such as drones, missiles, and contested airspace. Its importance lies in the relationships it builds: Allied personnel who train together in peacetime are better prepared to operate together in crisis.Finland’s Imminent Field 26 showed Agile Combat Employment (ACE) in especially concrete terms. Conducted from May 18 to 22 at the Jokioinen landing site on a closed stretch of Highway 2, the exercise trained Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and other aircraft to operate away from their home bases. For the first time, Italy brought F-35B Lightning II fighters to the exercise, using their short take-off and vertical landing capabilities to rehearse operations from austere and decentralized locations. The Finnish-Italian activity demonstrated how NATO air forces are preparing to disperse aircraft, personnel, and support infrastructure to complicate targeting, reduce vulnerability, and keep generating combat power if main bases are threatened.Norway then hosted a major ISR milestone with the first NISRF RQ-4D Phoenix operations from Norwegian territory. On May 21, a NATO RQ-4D Phoenix remotely piloted aircraft arrived at Ørland, marking the first time the system had operated from Norway and only the third time it had operated outside Italian Air Force Base Sigonella. The deployment was tied to Agile Combat Employment and demonstrated NISRF’s ability to deliver ISR effects from dispersed locations in support of NATO operations. For an Alliance increasingly focused on wide-area awareness, rapid decision-making, and distributed operations, the ability to move high-end ISR platforms beyond their usual operating base is a significant step.Finally, the May 25 update on Eastern Sentry brought many of these themes together over the Baltic region. On May 21, Allied Airpower conducted a high-end training event focused on Multi-Domain Integration and Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial capabilities (C-A2AD). Led by NATO CAOC Bodø in Norway as the key command-and-control node, the activity included Romanian F-16s, French Rafales and Mirage 2000D aircraft, French A330 MRTT tankers, and a NATO RQ-4D Global Hawk from NISRF. The training emphasized tactical command and control, rapid information sharing, and Find, Fix, Track, and Target (F2T2) processes. It also highlighted NATO’s shift from air policing toward a more flexible air defence posture along the eastern flank.Taken together, these stories show NATO Airpower operating across several layers at once. In the Mediterranean, Neptune Strike demonstrated maritime-air integration and Alliance-wide deterrence. In Lithuania, French Rafales reinforced the Baltic Air Policing mission while deepening tactical cooperation with Romania and Portugal. In Sweden and Finland, AURORA 26 and Imminent Field 26 tested dispersed operations, cross-servicing, airlift, counter-UAS lessons, and ACE in NATO’s northern Joint Operations Area (JOA). In Greece, NATO Tiger Meet strengthened the trust and habits that make multinational air operations work. In Norway, NISRF proved that NATO-owned ISR assets can operate more flexibly from dispersed locations. And under Eastern Sentry, Allied air forces practiced the kind of high-end, multi-domain air defence activity that connects all of these efforts into a wider deterrence posture. 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

Across these five updates, Allied Air Command’s spring 2026 message is clear: NATO is moving from a primarily reactive air policing posture toward a more integrated, distributed, and deliberately prepared air defence model. The emphasis is not on one isolated activity, but on how command leadership, multinational planning, training infrastructure, experimentation, and large-scale exercises all connect into a single defensive posture across the Euro-Atlantic area.That strategic direction was most explicit at the first NATO Air Chiefs’ Symposium of 2026, hosted by Allied Air Command in Ramstein. Built around the theme “Operationalizing the Shift to Air Defence,” the symposium brought together Air Chiefs and senior representatives from 27 NATO nations and 5 partner nations to align national contributions, refine strategy, and discuss how air and space power must evolve for a more contested environment. The discussion centered on command and control, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, the reinforcement of the eastern flank through Eastern Sentry, and the role of Agile Combat Employment in resilience and sustainment. The core takeaway was that NATO’s air enterprise is not standing still; it is adapting its posture, its command arrangements, and its force employment model to meet a higher-threat battlespace.That shift from strategy to execution was visible in the first Flexible Deterrent Options led by CAOC Bodø under Eastern Sentry activities. Working with CAOC Uedem, the Norwegian-based command helped direct three consecutive operations across the Alliance’s northern and Baltic regions, including a major mission in Finnish airspace focused on degrading anti-access and area-denial threats and securing air superiority. French, Swedish, Finnish, Portuguese, Estonian, Romanian, Czech, and NATO assets all featured across the different iterations, alongside tankers, command-and-reporting centres, airborne early warning, and surface-based air defence. What stands out here is not just the number of nations involved, but the type of integration being exercised: multinational, multi-domain operations designed to prove that Allied forces can scale quickly, share the burden, and function as a unified defensive system under pressure.The same logic runs through the Romania counter-drone event conducted in support of Eastern Sentry. Hosted at the Capu Midia Training Range in Romania during Exercise Eastern Phoenix 26, the activity tested how layered counter-uncrewed aerial system defences can be built from a mix of sensors, command-and-control networks, electronic warfare tools, and kinetic and non-kinetic effectors. Romania hosted the event in cooperation with NATO Allied Command Transformation. Ukrainian expertise also helped participants measure performance against current battlefield realities rather than idealized scenarios. This matters because low-cost drones and one-way attack systems are no longer peripheral threats; they are central to the modern air defence problem. The event showed NATO trying to shorten the path from technical demonstration to operational usefulness, while connecting experimentation directly to the wider air and missile defence architecture on the eastern flank.At the institutional level, the 100th Initial Functional Joint Force Air Component Training course at Poggio Renatico shows the longer-term foundation beneath these operational developments. Hosted by the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre in Italy, the course marked more than a symbolic milestone. It reflects over 3,000 NATO officers and non-commissioned officers trained at a single location to operate inside a Joint Force Air Component structure. With participants from 15 nations and representation from Combined Air Operations Centres and national force elements, the course illustrates how NATO’s command-and-control culture is built: common language, common procedures, and a common operational mindset. That kind of institutional preparation is essential if multinational air operations are expected to function seamlessly in crisis or conflict.Ramstein Flag 2026 then ties these threads together at scale. Scheduled for June 8 to June 19 and led independently by NATO Allied Air Command for the first time, the exercise stretches from Norway to Spain and combines live-fly activity with synthetic training across NATO’s northern and southern Joint Operations Areas. Its priorities: Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Agile Combat Employment, and improved information sharing. These priorities mirror the themes seen across the other updates. Hosted primarily by Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Spain, and involving 19 nations, more than 150 aircraft, and roughly 150 sorties per day, Ramstein Flag is designed to test NATO’s ability to coordinate distributed air operations in realistic, high-end scenarios. It is not just an exercise for pilots; it is a rehearsal for how the Alliance would synchronize command and control, integrate across domains, and operate under contested conditions.Taken together, these stories show NATO’s Air & Space power working on several levels at once. Senior leaders are aligning strategy around a more robust air defence posture. Operational headquarters are testing how that posture works in practice across the eastern flank. Experimentation events are accelerating responses to emerging threats such as drones. Training institutions are producing the personnel needed to run multinational air operations. And major exercises are connecting all of that into a broader rehearsal of deterrence and collective defence. 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

Across these nine updates, NATO’s air enterprise is doing three things at once: sharpening high-end combat skills, tightening Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) on the eastern flank, and cycling Allied detachments through Baltic and Black Sea operating locations to keep a persistent, credible air policing posture in place.We start in the United Kingdom with Cobra Warrior 2026-1, the Royal Air Force’s premier tactical air training event. The exercise is designed to push aircrews through complex, high-end warfighting scenarios and culminates months of preparation aimed at keeping Allied air forces integrated, adaptable, and ready. The focus is composite air operations: joint mission planning, tactical execution, and the synchronization of tactics, techniques, and procedures against a peer-competitor threat. Cobra Warrior also doubles as a leadership pipeline, producing mission commanders and functional team leaders able to direct coalition air operations in a resilient, decentralized command environment.That emphasis on integration and readiness carries into Ramstein, where Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and the NATO Military Committee visited Allied Air Command on March 25–26, 2026. The visit underscored the strategic importance of Allied air and space power in maintaining deterrence and defence, with a clear theme: trust, cohesion, and reliability among Allies are not “nice-to-haves,” but core strategic assets. The discussions highlighted how NATO secures its airspace—particularly along the eastern flank—through an integrated air and missile defence framework that combines air policing, ballistic missile defence, and vigilance activities such as Eastern Sentry, supported by continuous intelligence and information sharing and effective command and control across the Alliance.From there, the story shifts to the operational reality of deterrence and assurance: rotational deployments that keep NATO’s defensive posture visible and responsive from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.Over Lithuania, Romania assumed air policing duties from Šiauliai Air Base, deploying F-16s and roughly 100 personnel as part of Eastern Sentry. This marks Romania’s fourth contribution to Baltic air policing from Lithuania, and the rotation is strengthened by a parallel French Rafale presence operating from the same base. Two detachments, two aircraft types, one mission—continuous monitoring and the ability to intercept aircraft approaching NATO territory when required.France’s own deployment — four Rafales to Šiauliai — took the lead for NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission as Spain rotated out. It also marked France’s ninth rotation in Lithuania, with additional deployments to Ämari, Estonia reinforcing a consistent pattern: the Alliance sustains air defence through routine, interoperable, multinational detachments that can plug into the same command-and-control architecture on day one.Estonia saw the same continuity from a different angle. Portugal deployed F-16s to Ämari Air Base to assume Baltic air policing responsibilities from Italy, keeping fighters on quick reaction alert under the Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany. The Portuguese rotation included four aircraft and up to 95 personnel and marked Portugal’s ninth participation in NATO air policing overall—its second time conducting the mission from Ämari after earlier deployments to Šiauliai.The handovers matter because they demonstrate what NATO’s air policing model is built to do: sustain uninterrupted coverage, absorb transitions cleanly, and maintain readiness at speed. Italy’s concluding rotation in Estonia is a good example. After two consecutive deployments at Ämari, Italian Eurofighters handed over to Portugal, closing out a demanding stretch that included continuous quick reaction alert, more than 1,300 flying hours, multinational training, air-to-air missions alongside multiple Allies, and activities designed to validate procedures against emerging threats.Spain’s conclusion in Lithuania followed a similar pattern. After two consecutive rotations at Šiauliai, Spanish F-18M Hornets logged more than 900 flying hours and conducted more than 25 “Alpha Scrambles” in response to unidentified aircraft approaching NATO airspace. The detachment also took part in multiple multinational exercises and executed Agile Combat Employment activities, including cross-servicing with the Lithuanian Air Force: practical, hands-on steps that expand operational flexibility and help sustain dispersed operations. Spain also contributed counter-unmanned aircraft systems protection at Šiauliai and supported air-to-air refuelling with A400M aircraft, reinforcing interoperability and readiness across the region.In the Black Sea region, Romania’s south-eastern air defence mission saw two major transitions.First, Germany concluded two consecutive rotations at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, having been deployed since summer 2025. German Eurofighters accumulated more than 600 flying hours and flew over 470 sorties, including more than 25 Alpha Scrambles — maintaining a persistent, responsive presence close to a strategically sensitive air approach. Germany also conducted flexible deterrence options under Eastern Sentry and routinely operated alongside Romanian F-16s, building interoperability in the day-to-day rhythm of real-world vigilance.Then the Royal Air Force deployed Eurofighter Typhoons to Borcea Air Base to take over the enhanced air policing mission from the outgoing German detachment for the next four months. The deployment—supported by around 200 personnel—paired British quick reaction alert duties with Romanian Air Force cooperation and highlighted Agile Combat Employment in practice: operating from an alternative Romanian location and integrating mission execution through close coordination with NATO’s air command-and-control architecture. The result is a flexible, scalable posture designed to adjust rapidly to shifts in the security environment while keeping air policing continuous.Taken together, these stories show NATO’s air mission in full motion: high-end tactical training that builds mission command and coalition proficiency; senior-level focus on air and space power as strategic enablers of deterrence; and a steady cadence of rotations that keeps fighters, enablers, and command-and-control networks aligned across the Baltic and Black Sea regions. The throughline is consistent: readiness, interoperability, and the ability to sustain persistent defensive coverage across the eastern flank. 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

Not every NATO mission begins with aircraft in the air. Some begin with relationships.In this episode of The Allied Airpower Podcast, ‘Houdini’ spoke with Major Joseph Plata of NATO Allied Air Command’s A9 Military Partnership Branch about one of the Alliance’s less visible but strategically important missions: building and sustaining relationships with partner nations. It is work that happens largely behind the scenes, but it plays a direct role in strengthening trust, improving understanding, and expanding cooperation across the air domain.Major Plata helps coordinate one of NATO’s most practical partnership tools: Mobile Training Teams (MTT). These teams deliver tailored, unclassified training to partner nations on subjects such as air operational planning, force protection, airspace management, space operations, and public affairs. But as Major Plata explained, the value of these missions goes beyond instruction. They help open lines of communication, reduce misconceptions, and create the kind of professional trust that cannot be built through policy documents alone.This episode offers a useful reminder that Allied Air and Space Power are not only about platforms and operations. It is also about people, partnerships, and the steady work of building trust before it is needed most.Recorded Wednesday, 18 March 2026. 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

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. 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

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. 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

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

In this special episode, Jose “Houdini” Davis sits down with Air Marshal Sir Johnny Stringer, Acting Commander of NATO Allied Air Command, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation that bridges three decades of airpower, leadership, and strategy. A former Typhoon Wing Commander with over 3,000 flight hours, Air Marshal Stringer has led across every level — from cockpit to command table — serving as Chief of Staff at the UK’s Joint Forces Command and Director of Strategy at UK Strategic Command. Educated at Oxford and King’s College London, he brings a rare blend of tactical insight and grand strategic vision to his reflections on NATO’s evolving mission.Air Marshal Stringer traces how Allied Air Command has transformed during his tenure, shaped by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the consequences thereafter. He discusses how the Alliance is now “resetting” its air and space power for a new era of deterrence, where air and missile defense, Agile Combat Employment (ACE), and integrated command and control (C2) define NATO’s priorities. Drawing on his love of history, Air Marshal Stringer compares today’s challenges to those faced by NATO in 1958, when rapid technological and geopolitical change forced a similar transformation in how airpower was organized and employed.In his trademark wit and clarity, Air Marshal Stringer also reflects on the philosophy behind his guiding maxim, “Better Never Stops.” For him, it’s more than a slogan: it’s a professional ethic rooted in curiosity, humility, and continuous improvement. It is the belief that high-performing organizations must be as curious about their failures as their successes. He shares how that mindset has shaped NATO’s approach to innovation and adaptation amid accelerating change.As he prepares to conclude more than three years leading NATO Allied Air Command, Air Marshal Sir Johnny Stringer leaves listeners with a message of gratitude and resolve: a reminder that NATO’s strength lies in unity, professionalism, and a shared commitment to the billion people its members defend.Recorded Wednesday, 22 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

In this episode, we take listeners beyond the atmosphere to explore NATO’s newest operational domain — space. Joining him is U.S. Colonel Jonathan L. Whitaker, Chief of Staff at NATO’s Combined Forces Space Component Command and Director of the NATO Space Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. With more than two decades of experience in U.S. and Allied space operations, Colonel Whitaker offers a rare inside look at how the Alliance is adapting to an era where the orbital environment is no longer benign but increasingly contested, congested, and critical to deterrence and defense.The conversation traces the origins of NATO’s Space Center, established in 2020, and how it now functions as the hub for Allied space activity — tracking satellites, monitoring space weather and GPS integrity, safeguarding secure communications for NATO aircraft, and coordinating multinational intelligence from orbit. Colonel Whitaker describes how nations with different capabilities contribute to a shared mission, blending military and commercial technologies to keep space secure and accessible.Through real-world examples he illustrates how space-based intelligence and situational awareness enable commanders on the ground, at sea, and in the air to act decisively. He also discusses the growing partnership between NATO and industry, the integration of commercial space assets, and the coming expansion of the NATO Space Operations Center into a 24-hour global watch.At its heart, this episode shows how space has become the connective tissue of modern warfare and peacekeeping alike. Recorded Wednesday, 10 September 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

Recorded at the NATO Communicators Conference in Athens, Greece this episode explores the role of Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) in today’s complex information environment. We sit down with Wing Commander Tim Barlow, former STRATCOM Director at NATO Allied Air Command and now at SHAPE’s J10 Directorate, to unpack what STRATCOM really means — linking presence, posture, profile, and words into coherent actions that influence audiences and safeguard democracy. Wing Commander Barlow shares practical insights, including a case study on hosting Serbian media and political leaders at Allied Air Command, where open dialogue and cultural connection transformed perceptions of NATO. At its core, the conversation highlights STRATCOM as more than messaging — it is about building trust, understanding audiences, and demonstrating that NATO’s strength lies in unity.Recorded Wednesday, 24 September 2025. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement. 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

The Allied Airpower Podcast is committed to telling the true stories of the individuals who comprise the 32-member Alliance. Are you interested in sharing your story of service to your nation and your contributions to NATO? Contact us and be a guest on the podcast! In this powerful episode, The Allied Airpower Podcast shifts focus, from the conceptual to the frontlines, spotlighting the Airmen who make NATO Airpower possible. Today, we tell the individual story of an Airman who overcame hardship and adversity to be where he is today. Meet U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Honza Cafourek, whose path runs from childhood in Czechoslovakia under communism, to escape across the Iron Curtain, to building a new life in America and ultimately serving as a proud U.S. Air Force Airman. MSgt. Cafourek reflects on the grit and determination it took to learn English, gain American citizenship, and build a career in the U.S. Air Force, supporting missions from Guam to the Middle East. Along the way, he opens up about adversity, resilience, and his enduring dream of serving as a police officer. Now back in his native Czech Republic with U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, MSgt. Cafourek embodies the values of commitment, service, and sacrifice — standing as both an ambassador and an inspiration ahead of NATO Days in Ostrava, September 20-21.DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement. 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

NATO Days in Ostrava, in the Czech Republic, is the biggest security show in Europe, and in this special episode — part of a two-part series — we had the special privilege to chat with two important leaders organizing this exposition of NATO Airpower: Colonel (Ret.) David Webb (USAF), longtime B-52 electronic warfare officer and current North American representative for Jagello 2000, and Colonel Michal Kudyn (Czech Air Force), head of training and exercises and this year’s Display Director for NATO Days in Ostrava.Drawing more than 200,000 visitors a year, NATO Days in Ostrava is more than just an airshow; it is a full-spectrum security display, combining air demonstrations with ground forces, air defense, armored vehicles, and even working dogs. In the episode, Colonel Kudyn and Colonel Webb share with listeners how the event has grown from a small one-day gathering in 2001 into a massive multinational showcase demonstrating collective defense.NATO Days in Ostrava offers attendees a vivid picture of Allied security and cooperation, assuring Allied publics of their security across the 32-member Alliance. This year, Italy serves as the special partner nation, bringing the F-35 and other assets, while the Czech Air Force takes pride in hosting Allies and building new bonds. In the episode, both leaders emphasize NATO Days in Ostrava as not just a display of power, but also a platform for community engagement, education, and a reminder that the Alliance is stronger together.DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement. 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

In this episode, we explore how NATO Allies are showcasing Airpower, strengthening deterrence, and adapting to new operational challenges across Europe.First, we head to Latvia, where Hungarian and Swedish JAS-thirty-nine Gripens joined U.S. Air Force B-one-B Lancer bombers for a formation flyover above Riga’s famous Monument of Freedom. The mission highlighted NATO’s ability to integrate advanced aircraft and demonstrated transatlantic unity on the Alliance’s eastern flank.Next, we shift north to Iceland, where the Belgian Air Force has taken over NATO’s Air Policing mission from Spain. For the first time, Belgium deployed F-16s to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, working alongside the Icelandic Coast Guard and NATO controllers to safeguard Arctic skies and maintain quick reaction alert until mid-September.Finally, we head to Denmark’s Lakolk Beach, where a Norwegian C-130J Super touched down on sand for the first time. This milestone event was part of Agile Combat Employment training, proving that Allied aircrews can operate from unconventional surfaces like beaches and highways when traditional runways aren’t available.From Bomber Task force integration, to safeguarding remote airspace, to landing heavy aircraft on sand. The message is clear: the Alliance is ready to respond anytime, anywhere. 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