From March 31 to April 11, the Air Forces of NATO countries, as part of the Ramstein Flag 2025 exercises, will work out, among other things, interaction in the conditions of a simulated enemy having a layered air defense system. Who this opponent might be is no secret.
The NATO press center said in a statement that the exercises will test the ability “to react quickly in the scenario of applying Article 5” on the collective defense of the alliance countries. The exercises are taking place in the Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom, and involve 12 air bases and about 90 aircraft from 15 countries, including the United States and Finland, which borders the Russian Federation.Â
The exercise is managed from Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands. Formally, the exercises themselves are conducted under the auspices of the Dutch army. The Ramstein Flag exercises (named after the American air base in Germany) have been held since 1975. They often involve non-NATO countries. But, apparently, this time it won’t be like that. It is the actions of the alliance countries that are being worked out in case it is necessary to protect any of them.
