This week highlighted a series of major NATO Airpower events across Europe and the High North during September 2025.

We begin with Cobra Warrior 25-2, where the Royal Air Force is hosting Allies Canada, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the United States at RAF Waddington. This large-scale exercise pushes aircrews to their limits, sharpening interoperability and readiness in complex, high-threat environments.

Next, we move north to Greenland for Arctic Light 2025, a Danish-led exercise involving over 550 personnel. Naval, air, land, and special forces from Denmark, France, Sweden, Norway, and Germany trained together in live-fire drills, cold-weather operations, and large-scale search and rescue missions — demonstrating NATO’s ability to operate in the most demanding Arctic conditions.

From there, we head to Lithuania for Exercise Baltic Bikini 2025, where aircrews from Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, and Lithuania rehearsed survival after ditching at sea. Through realistic water-based rescue scenarios, NATO reinforced critical skills for personnel operating over the Baltic region.

We then highlight the 25th NATO Days in Ostrava and the 16th Czech Air Force Days, which drew nearly 100,000 spectators. The event showcased Allied modernization, from Slovakia’s new F-16 Block 70/72 fighters and Portugal’s KC-390 transport to spectacular aerial displays by the Red Arrows, Turkish Stars, and Croatia’s Krila Oluje.

Finally, we close with a historic milestone in the High North: a UK RAF A400 transport aircraft landing for the first time on Jan Mayen, a remote volcanic island in the Norwegian Sea. The mission delivered a U.S. Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and underscored NATO’s ability to sustain operations in one of the world’s most challenging environments.

Together, these events highlight NATO’s commitment to collective defense, agility, and readiness across multiple domains — from the Baltic and Central Europe to the icy Arctic frontier.

The Allied Airpower Podcast is committed to telling the true stories of the individuals who comprise the 32-member Alliance. Are you interested in sharing your story of service to your nation and your contributions to NATO? Contact us and be a guest on the podcast!

In this powerful episode, The Allied Airpower Podcast shifts focus, from the conceptual to the frontlines, spotlighting the Airmen who make NATO Airpower possible. Today, we tell the individual story of an Airman who overcame hardship and adversity to be where he is today. Meet U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Honza Cafourek, whose path runs from childhood in Czechoslovakia under communism, to escape across the Iron Curtain, to building a new life in America and ultimately serving as a proud U.S. Air Force Airman.

MSgt. Cafourek reflects on the grit and determination it took to learn English, gain American citizenship, and build a career in the U.S. Air Force, supporting missions from Guam to the Middle East. Along the way, he opens up about adversity, resilience, and his enduring dream of serving as a police officer.

Now back in his native Czech Republic with U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, MSgt. Cafourek embodies the values of commitment, service, and sacrifice — standing as both an ambassador and an inspiration ahead of NATO Days in Ostrava, September 20-21.

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement.

This week’s news roundup episode spotlights five stories that showcase NATO’s commitment to vigilance, unity, and airpower excellence across the Alliance.

In Poland and the Baltic region, NATO’s Air Policing mission responded swiftly to multiple airspace violations, including Russian drones and reconnaissance flights. Scrambles by Dutch, Spanish, French, and German fighters demonstrated NATO’s collective defence in action.

But first, we begin at Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands, where the European Air Transport Command (EATC) marked its 15th anniversary — celebrating multinational success in air mobility, air-to-air refuelling, and aeromedical evacuation across seven member nations.

Then we move to Konya Air Base in Türkiye, where NATO AWACS and Turkish aircraft teamed up for NEXUS ACE training — strengthening tactical coordination under the Tailored Assurance Measures for Türkiye.

Next, we head to Italy, where the Frecce Tricolori celebrated 65 years of precision aerobatics. Teams from six Allied and partner nations joined the air show, highlighting the operational value of aerial display teams within NATO.

Finally, in Sigonella, Italy, the NATO ISR Force celebrated its tenth anniversary — tracing its evolution from a ground surveillance program to a permanent intelligence hub supporting operations from Sicily to the High North.

NATO Days in Ostrava, in the Czech Republic, is the biggest security show in Europe, and in this special episode — part of a two-part series — we had the special privilege to chat with two important leaders organizing this exposition of NATO Airpower: Colonel (Ret.) David Webb (USAF), longtime B-52 electronic warfare officer and current North American representative for Jagello 2000, and Colonel Michal Kudyn (Czech Air Force), head of training and exercises and this year’s Display Director for NATO Days in Ostrava.

Drawing more than 200,000 visitors a year, NATO Days in Ostrava is more than just an airshow; it is a full-spectrum security display, combining air demonstrations with ground forces, air defense, armored vehicles, and even working dogs. In the episode, Colonel Kudyn and Colonel Webb share with listeners how the event has grown from a small one-day gathering in 2001 into a massive multinational showcase demonstrating collective defense.

NATO Days in Ostrava offers attendees a vivid picture of Allied security and cooperation, assuring Allied publics of their security across the 32-member Alliance. This year, Italy serves as the special partner nation, bringing the F-35 and other assets, while the Czech Air Force takes pride in hosting Allies and building new bonds. In the episode, both leaders emphasize NATO Days in Ostrava as not just a display of power, but also a platform for community engagement, education, and a reminder that the Alliance is stronger together.

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement.

Straight to your email! Subscribe to our Substack to receive full text transcripts of our exclusive interviews with esteemed guests on The Allied Airpower Podcast. natoaircom.substack.com Did you know that Türkiye and the U.S. are not part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)? How does maritime, air, and space parallel each other in terms of international law? What is Freedom of Navigation and Freedom of Maneuver anyways? And why does this matter to Airpower?In this episode, we draw on decades of experience from a career naval legal officer and academic from the University of Adelaide to help us answer these questions. Professor Dale Stephens explores how freedom of navigation and freedom of maneuver shape military and civilian activity across sea, air, and space.The discussion traces the historical roots of maritime law, from Roman claims over the Mediterranean to the Treaty of Tordesillas and Grotius’ principle of the “freedom of the seas.” The Professor explains how modern law balances state sovereignty with global trade needs.He highlights today’s challenges, including China’s South China Sea claims, security tensions in the Arctic, and air incidents involving lasers and close intercepts, showing how states push legal “grey zones” to expand control. The conversation then extends into space law, where treaties like the Outer Space Treaty set limits (e.g., banning weapons of mass destruction in orbit) but leave open questions about sovereignty, militarization, and commercialization.

Looking to the future, Dr. Stephens stresses the importance of defending the rules-based international order to prevent fragmentation into narrow national interests. He closes with a message of gratitude to NATO service members, emphasizing the honor and necessity of their sacrifice in maintaining global security.DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in The Allied Airpower Podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NATO, NATO Allied Air Command, or any national government. Any external hyperlinks or resources shared on this podcast do not constitute endorsement.

In this episode, we explore how NATO Allies are showcasing Airpower, strengthening deterrence, and adapting to new operational challenges across Europe.

First, we head to Latvia, where Hungarian and Swedish JAS-thirty-nine Gripens joined U.S. Air Force B-one-B Lancer bombers for a formation flyover above Riga’s famous Monument of Freedom. The mission highlighted NATO’s ability to integrate advanced aircraft and demonstrated transatlantic unity on the Alliance’s eastern flank.

Next, we shift north to Iceland, where the Belgian Air Force has taken over NATO’s Air Policing mission from Spain. For the first time, Belgium deployed F-16s to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, working alongside the Icelandic Coast Guard and NATO controllers to safeguard Arctic skies and maintain quick reaction alert until mid-September.

Finally, we head to Denmark’s Lakolk Beach, where a Norwegian C-130J Super touched down on sand for the first time. This milestone event was part of Agile Combat Employment training, proving that Allied aircrews can operate from unconventional surfaces like beaches and highways when traditional runways aren’t available.

From Bomber Task force integration, to safeguarding remote airspace, to landing heavy aircraft on sand. The message is clear: the Alliance is ready to respond anytime, anywhere.

In this episode, we explore three stories that underscore NATO’s cooperation, innovation, and readiness across the Alliance.

We begin in Belgrade, where NATO’s Mobile Training Team partnered with the Serbian Air Force to strengthen air operational planning skills under the Partnership for Peace programme.

Then we move to Pápa Air Base in Hungary, where the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force conducted its first-ever diversion recovery training using advanced Virtual Reality technology to prepare multinational crews for critical aircraft recovery scenarios.

Finally, we head north, from Iceland to Norway, where U.S. B-1B Lancer bombers integrated with Spanish EF/A-18M Hornets on Air Policing duty. The U.S. B-1B Lancers were on their way to Ørland Air Base, Norway to further train and integrate with Norwegian F-35s in this iteration of the U.S.’ Bomber Task Force deployment, honing skills for high-threat air operations and refining skills in the find, fix, track and target process.

In this episode, we cover NATO’s ongoing air policing efforts across Europe as multiple nations rotate responsibilities in the Baltic and Black Sea regions. Germany takes over from Italy at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania, deploying Eurofighter Typhoons to support NATO’s southeastern flank. In Estonia, Italy assumes Baltic Air Policing duties from Portugal, whose detachment completed a robust deployment with over 400 flight hours and participation in numerous multinational exercises.

Meanwhile, Hungary and Spain have deployed to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, replacing the Romanian and Polish detachments. These rotations bring Hungarian Gripens and Spanish Eurofighter Typhoons to the front lines of NATO’s Baltic mission. Spain also expands its commitment with EF/A-18M Hornets in Iceland. The outgoing Polish and Romanian units are recognized for their joint training achievements and community engagement, exemplifying the strength of NATO interoperability.

This episode highlights the Alliance’s seamless coordination, sustained vigilance, and enduring unity across its eastern airspace.