NATO AIR DEFENSE EXERCISE
Since the 9/11 attacks, air defense procedures have been significantly revised to address the threat of civilian aircraft being used as weapons. As a Mission Simulator Operator and Instructor Weapons Controller for NATO in Germany, I regularly simulate such scenarios to train aircrews. On August 20, I participated in a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) exercise over Germany and Belgium, involving the simulation of a hijacked aircraft. I was aboard a Belgian A400M aircraft and witnessed the interception by German and Belgian fighter jets firsthand. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of interception procedures, which I plan to incorporate into my training. The exercise also highlighted the importance of cooperation with our NATO partners to keep our training relevant and up-to-date.
