NATOs Largest Military Exercise: Lessons from Ukraine Shape Future Readiness

LEEUWARDEN, The Netherlands — Ninety-one aircraft from 15 NATO countries have completed their participation in Exercise Ramstein Flag, a two-week training event focused on potential collective responses to an attack against a member nation.

Although the alliance has conducted exercises of this nature since before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, participants noted that the ongoing conflict has highlighted the importance of preparing to safeguard NATO’s territory and sending a clear message to adversaries like Russia to deter future aggression.

“For several years, we paid little attention to defending NATO territory because we didn’t think anything would happen,” remarked Colonel Martin Friis, an officer with NATO’s air command from the Danish Air Force.

NATO may face limited time to implement its training effectively. The Danish defense intelligence agency issued a warning in February that Russia could initiate a «large-scale conflict» in Europe within five years if it perceives NATO and the continent as unable to respond robustly.

A primary aim of the exercise was to enhance the ability of NATO air forces to collaborate with each other and with ground forces across various combat scenarios, including achieving air superiority against hostile fighter jets, engaging in electronic warfare, and managing air defense in contested areas.

Prior to 2022, numerous NATO members were more focused on maintaining their military autonomy than on cultivating collaborative efforts. Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced an initiative aimed at increasing standardization by 2024, which would bolster interoperability among forces.

Participating units also trained in countering anti-access/area denial tactics to penetrate enemy air defenses, a crucial initial step in any military deployment.

If Moscow were to deploy surface-to-air missile systems in Kaliningrad, Belarus, or near its borders with Estonia and Latvia, it could potentially intercept allied aircraft throughout almost the entire Baltic region and Poland using 500 km-range Iskander ballistic missiles.

Large-scale exercises such as Ramstein Flag also serve to deter possible aggressors by showcasing the formidable response they would face if NATO were attacked.

“We recognize that we are under scrutiny,” Colonel Friis stated to The Moscow Times. “This concern also comes from our own audience, who want to feel secure, and they have every right to do so.”

While the tactics practiced over the North Sea could be applicable in various conflict zones, the training sought to incorporate lessons from Ukraine, where the emergence of small, one-way kamikaze drones has posed new threats to urban areas and infrastructure.

“These drones are relatively inexpensive to produce. However, if you lack the right countermeasures, they can be costly to neutralize,” General James Hecker, Commander of Allied Air Command, told reporters. “One key takeaway is that we need a more affordable solution for dealing with these one-way attack vehicles.”

Ramstein Flag 25 marked the first participation of Sweden in the annual exercise as a full NATO member. Along with Finland, which joined in 2023, Sweden has played a vital role in enhancing the alliance’s security initiatives in the Arctic and Baltic regions.

“Previously, although we trained together, we maintained our own defense plans and methodologies. Now, as an integrated part of the Alliance, we share defense planning with our partners, which also changes the perspective for the Swedish Air Force,” Lieutenant Colonel Robert Persson informed The Moscow Times.

“The cooperation and information sharing were already strong even before the invasion of Ukraine. However, gaining membership and access to all resources, as well as being involved in the planning process, fundamentally shifts the outlook,” he added.

Sweden’s unit at Ramstein Flag operated the JAS 39 Gripen, a domestically developed fighter jet that Ukraine has considered for modernizing its Air Force.

In comparison to the F-16, the Gripen is simpler to maintain and can operate without the need for well-fortified airbases and extensive runways, which would be prime targets for Russian missile strikes. Additionally, it is cheaper to operate, though it has a more limited arsenal and fewer units are available.

A $443 million support package announced by Stockholm in September 2024 includes provisions to facilitate future deliveries of Gripens. However, Kyiv has yet to receive any of these aircraft, nor have any transfers been confirmed. The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated in February that discussions regarding the transfer of C/D class Gripens to Ukraine were ongoing.