MONUMENT OF FREEDOM - US AIR FORCE BOMBER TASK FORCE CONDUCT FLYOVER IN LATVIA
NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)
Aug 20 2025
Mons, Belgium -- On August 19, a day on which the United States traditionally marks the history and significance of modern aviation, Hungarian and Swedish Air Forces provided fighter escort to the US Air Force Bomber Task Force in a spectacular low formation pass over the Monument of Freedom in Riga, Latvia.
Two US B-1B Lancer aircraft flew in formation with two Hungarian and two Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, demonstrating the ability of combined NATO air forces to operate together, anywhere and at any time. The Hungarian Gripens are currently deployed to Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania as part of NATO's Air Policing mission, defending NATO's Eastern flank.
"The security of the Baltic States and NATO's Eastern flank is the cornerstone of the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region," said Latvian Minister of Defence, Andris Spruds,
Reinforcing the importance of such a highly visible demonstration of collective readiness, he added:
"Such US and Allied flyover manoeuvres clearly demonstrate NATO's presence in the region, transatlantic unity, and commitment to collectively strengthen the security of the Baltic State region."
During the deployment, US bombers integrated with Norwegian and other Allied air forces to exercise the find, fix, track and target process, a tactical method used to identify and strike threats in real time, share threat information, and ensure the ability to manoeuvre freely in contested air space.
A reflection of NATO's extended commitment to Allies and partners to enhance regional security, missions like this provide ideal opportunities to build trust through consistent, deliberate training and increase NATO's ability to respond together rapidly and effectively when it matters most. Each combined mission reinforces the ability of Allies to operate effectively in dynamic and high-threat environments, critical to the collective defence of the Euro-Atlantic region.
Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
