GLOBAL GUARDIAN Builds on a Message of Unity and Purpose

High readiness fighter aircraft from six Joint Expeditionary Force nations scrambled in quick succession to intercept and escort a force of B-52 Stratofortress bombers in a multi-national exercise demonstrating their readiness to defend northern European airspace and NATO’s North Atlantic flank.

The JEF enhanced Global Guardian by playing a role in cohering the strategic narrative between each of the JEF nations involved.

In the latest iteration of Exercise Global Guardian, Quick Response Alert (QRA) fast jets from the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland scrambled, intercepted and conducted rolling handovers with, for the first time, a flight of two B-52s from the US Air Force.

The European nations are all members of JEF, a framework of northern European nations that collaborate to protect peace and prosperity in northern Europe.

On 18 June 2024, the B-52s, part of the Bomber Task Force, carried out a return flight from RAF Fairford in the UK to home stations in the USA. During the flight, the bombers simulated a long-range aviation (LRA) patrol by an unfriendly nation.

Once they left European airspace the flight split up they were then intercepted by US and Canadian QRA.

“Global Guardian is exciting,” said Group Captain Kevin Latchman, JEF Director of Communications in Northwood, UK. “Not only does it leverage high-end B-52 capability from the US, but it also provides a unique opportunity to work together across the vast geography of the High North and North Atlantic and test our operational and tactical linkages across a number of domains.

“When we are faced with real challenges in this area, we can unite across our nations to respond effectively. Every time we do this, we learn lessons and get better.” After its inauguration in February 2024, Exercise Global Guardian is set to become a regular fixture involving nations from JEF, the USA and NATO’s Air Command. Its purpose is to demonstrate a seamless response to any unfriendly or suspicious air intrusion.

At the same time, Global Guardian is confirmation of the European contribution towards defence in depth of the North American landmass and the US principle of Global Integrated Layered Defence (GILD).

Exercises such as Global Guardian are important for sending a clear message that deter malign activity and reassure friends. The JEF played a key role in this exercise by coordinating the unified strategic communications effort and aligning it with NATO and the US.

Coordinated Multi-lateral Cooperation

Global Guardian demonstrates the readiness of JEF nations, aligned with NATO, to respond to any adversarial air activity that challenges freedom of navigation along the lines of communication between Europe’s NATO nations and their US and Canadian allies.

Two USAF 69 th Bomb Squadron B-52 Stratofortress’s, home stationed at Minot AFB USA, simulated the Long-Range Aviation for Global Guardian. Executing Global Guardian interceptions were: two Typhoons from the UK, 2 F-35s from the Netherlands, 2 F-16s from Denmark, 2 JAS-39 Gripens from Sweden, 2 F-35s from Norway and finally 2 FA-18 Hornets from Finland.

The JEF HQ plays a role by acting as a coordinating authority (in NATO parlance) between the national defence forces of a number of different European nations.

None of the aircraft taking part in Global Guardian were under NATO control and the JEF itself does not maintain any standing forces. However, it does act as a convener whenever two or more JEF nations want to cooperate militarily a in multi-lateral activity, whether for an exercise or in response to a threat or crisis. This significantly simplifies coordination and communications between the US and Europe for multinational activities such as Global Guardian.

Policing The Skies Over Northern Europe

QRA flights held at high readiness can respond to Russian military LRA which routinely do not comply with civilian protocols when they cross national air defence identification zones (as opposed to sovereign airspace, where they come under international law). Air Defence Identification Zones form a continuous shield for northern Europe and provide defence in depth to the North American continental landmass.

A Team Effort

While the aircraft and their crews attract the attention, Global Guardian also exercises command and control centres along with ground-based radar stations across mainland Europe, Iceland, the UK and NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany.  A critical role is also played by all support personnel who enable QRA forces to stay at a high state of readiness to react to any threat.

The Joint Expeditionary Force

Celebrating its 10th birthday in September, the JEF was formed by NATO in 2014 as part of its regionally based Framework Nation Concept. The JEF is a framework enabling participant nations to collaborate militarily to defend security and prosperity in northern Europe. While NATO remains the pre-eminent guarantor of European security, JEF activities are complementary to NATO, strengthening interoperability and supporting NATO planning. Reflecting its focus on security in Scandinavia, the High North, the Baltic area and the northern Atlantic Ocean, JEF membership consists of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK, which acts as the framework nation.