From December 2 to 13, 2024, NATO’s Exercise Poggio Dart 2024 showcased the strength, solidarity, and interoperability of the Alliance in the skies over north-eastern Italy.
Organised by NATO’s Deployable Air Command & Control Centre (DACCC) based in Poggio Renatico, Italy, the exercise involved almost 30 aircraft.
The exercise saw United States F-16s flying alongside Italian Air Force F-35s, Eurofighters, Predators, and the innovative Sirius system. Italian Naval F-35Bs and Harriers participated, along with Germany’s Learjet, all working in synchrony to improve interoperability and readiness.
The exercise also saw the participation of NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), based in Germany, which enhanced situational awareness and early warning capabilities. In addition, the DACCC deployed its sophisticated Deployable Active Defence Radar (DADR) and Ground Air Ground (GAG) module at Cervia Air Force Base, Italy.
These technologies supported the exercise’s real-time execution, ensuring effective coordination across various domains.
The exercise’s dynamic scenario saw over 20 sorties per day, many of which focused on offensive air operations controlled by German and Italian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) from forward positions.
Major General Maineri, Commander of the DACCC, noted, “As exercise Poggio Dart 24 unfolds, we are witnessing top cooperation and coordination among our Allied forces. This exercise not only strengthens our readiness and skills, but also reinforces the bonds of interoperability and cohesion that are the foundation of NATO’s solidness.”
Demonstrate strength against Russian forces in UKR & Putin might start to doubt the viability of his cruel invasion.
Sadly the sort of dictator Putin is and they type of nation Russia is, means they will not start to doubt they would just double down. Even though it’s a warped and wrong view russia sees Ukraine as part of russia, it’s a reason its willing and able to bleed so hard. It’s hard to bleed and suffer for a nation far way..and populations tend to put pressure on their leaders to end such distant wars when the hurting really starts, but most populations and nations will take any amount of suffering to defend what they consider their own land…it’s why the U.S and other great powers ( including Russia and the Uk) hav been essentially defeated by tribesmen on a number of occasions.
as long as we can deploy enough assets to be deployed to the right place quickly and in the numbers we’ll need
Vladimir Vladimirovich must be quaking in his boots (not), talk about overblown rhetoric. I’m of a generation that remembers when NATO exercises really made Russia shudder, over in Lincolnshire was Plane spotters heaven.
Mirage IV very low and very fast coming over Conningsby being chased by a Hawk (sidewinders) and a Hunter, 4 Vulcan “Thunder” take off at Waddington and Lightnings QRA scrambles at Binbrook.
Oh happy days !
It was a time the west knew that to win you had to fight hard in every single domain with no compromise..the west won the Cold War through utter and complete commitment. Many forget that as a nation and an alliance we were all told and prepared for the fact that NATO would take everything down in fire, as well as play any dirty political warfare games needed to win.
We also had no hubris at the time either..we all knew it was a fight to the death if it ever happened and even the best outcome would be a world shattering bloodbath…the wests issue is that it’s spent that last 35 years thinking it had won for ever and it’s enemies would for ever more roll over and ask for a tickle.
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You mean us AirPower plus some European jets or vibes
I see Italy have signed a contract for 24 new build Euro fighters to allow retirement of their tranche 1s (?going to give tranche 1s to Ukraine)
RAF should definitely do the same.