RAFL25 brings together over 90 aircraft from more than 15 Allied nations, operating from 12 different air bases across Europe. NATO AWACS aircraft, flying from NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, provide air surveillance, air battle management, and fighter control in support of this large-scale, live-fly, multi-domain exercise.
Throughout the two-week exercise, AWACS enables real-time integration of Allied assets and supports a series of advanced training objectives. The initial phase of RAFL25 focused on Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD), allowing participating nations to rehearse modern IAMD tactics using a combined and joint approach supported by AWACS’ command and control.
The exercise then shifted to Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial (C-A2/AD) operations. While often offensive in execution, these actions serve defensive objectives within NATO’s collective security framework by denying adversaries the ability to limit access and ensuring freedom of movement for Allied forces. With precision and synchronization across air, land, and maritime domains, C-A2/AD training enhances the Alliance’s ability to respond decisively to evolving threats.
During RAFL25, Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training will enhance NATO’s ability to rapidly disperse and operate from multiple locations, boosting both force survivability and operational tempo.
A Dutch F-35 landing at Leeuwarden Air Base. Photo by OR-5 Hummel.