The Vilkas Tactical Air Detachment operates the CROW system continuously

•  Spanish airmen have also participated in NATO's “Agile Lynx” exercise

The DAT “Vilkas” Tactical Air Detachment, deployed at the Siauliai Air Base (Lithuania), has begun to operate the CROW Counter-UAS system on a full-time basis. This role is part of Spain's leadership of the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, in addition to its contribution of air assets to the Eastern Sentry Enhanced Vigilance Activity (eVA), based in Poland.

From now on, a team of nine military personnel from the Air and Space Force's Deployment Support Squadron (EADA) will be responsible for permanently monitoring the airspace in the area of responsibility from Siauliai, to ensure protection against any unidentified drones and balloons entering the airspace on the eastern flank of the Alliance.

On the other hand, two F18M and A400M aircraft have been activated in recent days for several real missions, known as A-Scramble, both for the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) and as part of NATO's Enhanced Vigilance Activity (eVA) Eastern Sentry. Under the monitoring of the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Uedem (Germany), the air detachment returned to base after completing the mission without incident.

Agile Lynx 25-2 Exercise

In addition, the Agile Lynx 25-2 exercise was successfully carried out, with the aim of strengthening the Joint Fires capability of NATO's multinational battlegroups deployed in the region, as well as other allied elements deployed for training. This has improved interoperability and effectiveness in Close Air Support (CAS) in a realistic operational environment, with high-intensity scenarios against adversaries of equivalent capabilities.

In this context, the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) team from the Air and Space Force's Parachute Engineer Squadron (EZAPAC) participated in air support missions, together with Spanish F18Ms from Wing 15, Italian Eurofighters (both deployed on the BAP mission in Lithuania and Estonia, respectively), and British Eurofighter FGR4s.

Throughout the exercise, CAS controls and DACAS (Digital Aided CAS) system validation were carried out, strengthening multinational coordination, standardisation of procedures and mutual trust among allied forces, directly contributing to NATO's operational readiness, deterrence and collective defence on the eastern flank.