For the first time, Spanish Eurofighters and an A400M tanker aircraft were deployed as part of the new NATO-“Eastern Sentry” mission to secure the airspace on the Alliance’s eastern flank.
The A400M tanker aircraft TK.23 of Ala 31 (Zaragoza) carried out an aerial refueling mission in support of two Eurofighter EF-2000s of Ala 11 (Morón de la Frontera, Seville). This was the first real intercept mission (A-Scramble) of a Spanish tanker aircraft together with national fighter aircraft.
During the approximately five-hour mission, TK.23 supplied the two Eurofighters with fuel in order to extend their stay in the area of operations and thus ensure the uninterrupted execution of the mission.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado, commander of the Spanish detachment DAT “Vilkas”, the successful mission “demonstrates the high degree of integration and professionalism of the resources and personnel that Spain deploys in the service of the Alliance to guarantee the territorial integrity of the eastern flank”.
DAT “Vilkas” – Spain’s contribution to securing airspace on the eastern flank
The Spanish Air Tactical Detachment “Vilkas” – the name means “wolf” in Lithuanian – is deployed with contingents from Italy and Hungary (-> Military News interview with Lieutenant Colonel Péter Tősér, commander of the Hungarian contingent) part of NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing over the Baltic States. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado del Águila, the contingent has been operating from Šiauliai Air Base in northern Lithuania since August and will continue to do so for a few more days.
The detachment of around 200 soldiers is made up of members of 15 different units of the Spanish air and space forces forces. The task force includes eight Eurofighters from Ala 11 and an A400M tanker from Ala 31.
In addition to actual airspace surveillance, the contingent also performs representative tasks. For example, the defense ministers of Spain and Lithuania, the Spanish and Canadian ambassadors in Lithuania and the commander of the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force (NAEW) visited the detachment. The unit also maintains a close partnership with the city of Šiauliai, whose support is expressly emphasized by the Spanish soldiers.
Here for more news about the Spanish armed forces.
