Commander Diéguez, Head of TAD Paznic, Leads an Advanced NATO Training Mission

Air assets and ground-based air defence systems from four Allied nations operated together to protect the eastern flank

Commander Félix Diéguez Pita, Head of Tactical Air Detachment (TAD) Paznic, led a Flexible Deterrence Options (FDO) training activity involving around twenty aircraft and air defence systems from four Allied countries: Spain, Germany, France and Romania.

This exercise, a milestone for the Spanish contingent, forms part of the Combined Air Policing mission (Combined eAP-70), carried out by Wing 14 of the Spanish Air and Space Force together with the German Air Force from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania.

FDO exercises aim to reinforce collective security through deployments designed to enhance unity, interoperability and joint response capability. In this case, air assets and ground-based air defence systems were employed to ensure defence and deterrence in the Alliance’s eastern flank airspace.

The significance of this milestone lies not only in the fact the mission was led by a Spanish commander, but also in the fact that nearly half of the aircraft participating in the exercise were contributed by Spain. In addition to the three Eurofighter aircraft from Wing 14 deployed with TAD Paznic, four Spanish F-18 fighters from Wing 15 and one Spanish A400M from Wing 31 also took part, deployed with TAD Vilkas and based in Siauliai, Lithuania.

As for international assets, the training activity also involved by two Eurofighters from the German Air Force, two Mirage 2000-D aircraft from the French Air Force, six F-16 fighters from the Romanian Air Force and one MRTT aircraft.

The exercise also received support from ground-based air defence systems, including the French MAMBA SAMP/T air defence system, the Romanian PATRIOT advanced air and missile defence system, and a Romanian Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) team specialised in directing and coordinating air strikes from the ground.

This entire deployment was conducted from three different locations: Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, Campia Turzii Air Base in Romania and Fetesti Air Base, also in Romania.

This combined activity maximised interoperability between the participating assets and personnel through a scenario designed for A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) training. This strategy aims to restrict the mobility and limit the freedom of manoeuvre of adversary forces through simulated combat flights, including in this case an air-to-air refuelling operation.

In addition, the exercise was conducted under the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept, which promotes a more flexible and resilient force capable of operating in a distributed and agile manner in complex environments, reducing dependence on large permanent bases.

Such training activities are particularly relevant for Spain, as security within our borders begins and is strengthened in scenarios far from our national territory, such as the airspace of the Alliance’s eastern flank, working side by side with our Allies.

TAD Paznic: Spain’s commitment to NATO air defence

The mission of TAD Paznic is to contribute to NATO deterrence and defence on the eastern flank through airspace surveillance as part of Enhanced Air Policing (eAP) within NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). It forms part of Operation Persistent Effort, which also includes TAD Vilkas in Lithuania with the deployment of eleven EF-18M Hornet fighters from Wing 15 (Zaragoza) and one TK23 A400M from Wing 31 (Zaragoza); TAD Tigru with the AN/TPS-43M air surveillance radar, also located in Romania; and the NASAMS Air Defence Units in Latvia and PATRIOT units in Türkiye.