Ramstein Flag 2026 is being held across Europe, from Norway to Spain. The exercise brings together more than 18 nations operating from more than 20 locations in 12 countries.
The exercise involves more than 200 aircraft. These include Allied enabler aircraft, NATO Airborne Warning and Control System E-3A Sentry aircraft and NATO RQ-4D Phoenix remotely piloted aircraft.
During the exercise, more than 120 aircraft will fly simultaneously. NATO said the activity includes more than 150 sorties per day from up to 20 operating locations.
For participating F-35 units, the exercise tests key air component tasks. These include Integrated Air and Missile Defence, intelligence sharing, Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial and Agile Combat Employment.
NATO said Allied fifth-generation aircraft are strengthening shared tactics, techniques and procedures. The training is intended to improve the Alliance’s ability to deter threats, defend NATO territory and protect NATO airspace.
At Pirkkala in Finland, more than 200 U.S. Airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing are training alongside Finnish and U.S. Marine Corps units. These include the Finnish Air Force, Marine Air Control Squadron 2 and Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 from Marine Air Control Group 28, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing.
“This team is ready to fight and perform right alongside our NATO Allies,” said U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Dustin Merritt, deployed detachment commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 493rd Fighter Squadron, based at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. “We train how we fight, and the 48th Fighter Wing has a proven track record of answering the call, wherever, whenever and however we’re needed.”
NATO said F-35 aircraft strengthen the Alliance’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence and air defence shield. The aircraft combine advanced sensing, secure data sharing and fifth-generation survivability in a single platform.
Operating as part of a wider Allied network, F-35s can detect, classify and share threat information across Allied forces. NATO said this improves situational awareness for commanders, aircrews and ground-based air defence units.
In Ramstein Flag 2026, Allied F-35 operations contribute directly to NATO’s 360-degree approach to air and missile defence. NATO said the activity reinforces the Alliance’s ability to protect NATO territory, populations, forces and airspace.
