Several local military members are overseas taking part in a 13-nation NATO air defence exercise in Greece.
The local contingent includes Major Gareth “Lester” Carter, Canadian Task Force Commander.
“Ramstein Flag is about getting as many NATO nations together, including Canada, into one location where we can practice and inter-operate together,” he says. “So we can better hone our skills if any kind of situation comes up where we need to defend the NATO partnership, we’re better equipped and trained to do so.”
Maj. Carter says the scenario involves NATO running into an opposing force.
“In the two-week period we’ll go basically from holding our own, to then being more aggressive and then taking back whatever key points we may have lost or even defending key points on the ground and airspaces around those key points,” he says.
Upwards of 15 members from 22 Wing North Bay are involved, including Aerospace Control Officers and Operators along with crew members working with an air-to-air refueling plane.
“This is the biggest deployment of North Bay personnel for this kind of thing for a long time,” Maj. Carter says. “More often than not you’ll see the air-fueling tanker go on exercises like this or you’ll see the F-18s. But this is the first time in a long time, if ever, that I’ve seen members of 22 Wing deployed over here doing various jobs around the exercise.”
When asked about the importance of this kind of training, considering current tensions around the world, he says every one of these countries test their capabilities all the time.
“But, working together like this is hugely valuable,” Maj. Carter says. “Because this is the first time they’ve run this exercise under the phrase NATO Flag, so it’s run under the auspices of NATO, this is an excellent link between Canada and the NATO Alliance here in Europe which they don’t normally get to see.”
Air, Maritime and Land Forces from countries like the United States, England, Poland, Sweden and more have come together in Greece’s West Peloponnese for the exercise.
“This is a great opportunity for the Royal Canadian Air Force to show up and show our capabilities,” Maj. Carter says.
The training event started Sept. 30 and runs until Oct. 11.
