Images

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress, assigned to the 23rd Bomb Squadron, passes the air traffic control tower during takeoff for a Bomber Task Force mission from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Sept. 10, 2024. Bomber Task Force missions enable joint and Allied training, demonstrating the readiness of the U.S. and its Allies to respond to any incident at any time.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, based at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, over the North Sea, Sept. 11, 2024. Bomber Task Force missions are representative of the U.S.’ extended deterrent commitment to Allies and partners and enhance regional security.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, based at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, over the North Sea, Sept. 11, 2024. Bomber Task Force missions are representative of the U.S.’ extended deterrent commitment to Allies and partners and enhance regional security.

Two U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, U.K., make history by landing on a highway strip during the exercise BAANA 2024, Sept. 4, on Hosio Highway Strip, Ranua, Finland. During the exercise the U.S. Air Force collaborated with NATO Allies to adapt, innovate and strengthen our collective defense while making history by landing U.S. fighter aircraft on a Finnish highway strip demonstrating military capabilities and interoperability. During the exercise U.S. Air Force Airmen expanded on Agile Combat Employment capabilities by learning austere environment aircraft landing and take-off operations and techniques from their Finnish counterparts. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor)

Two U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, U.K., demonstrate landing and takeoff operations during exercise BAANA 2024, Sept. 4, on Hosio Highway Strip, Ranua, Finland. During the exercise the aircraft landed on a highway strip in Finland to practice Agile Combat Employment which increases the ability of our collective partners to collaborate and operate in a joint, high-intensity environment, improve readiness, responsiveness and interoperability. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor)

U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander, U.S. European Command, convened with U.S. component commanders for the European Component Commander’s Conference on the Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, on Sept. 3, 2024.

USEUCOM's cyber directorate concluded its 2024 Command, Control, Computers and Communications (C4) Security Cooperation Summit on Aug. 9, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, after bringing together more than 80 representatives from multiple U.S. organizations to assist in C4 security cooperation planning.

Defense Institute of International Legal Studies Institutional capacity building attorneys engage with legal colleagues from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense during a recent two-week proof of concept training course on operational law held in Poland from July 22 to Aug. 5, 2024. The pilot course was the culmination of a year-long effort to create an organic Ukrainian training course for legal advisors on the relevant legal issues of armed conflict.

U.S. European Command Staff Judge Advocate U.S. Army Col. Ian Iverson greets Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Legal Department Col. Kyrylo Hankevych ahead of a two-week course on operational law held in Poland from July 22 to Aug. 5, 2024. During a key-leader engagement following his remarks, Iverson and Ukrainian counterparts discussed future legal training and exchange opportunities between the U.S. and the UAF to further inform one another's knowledge in a rapidly evolving battlespace.

U.S. European Command Staff Judge Advocate U.S. Army Col. Ian Iverson provides welcoming remarks to Ukrainian Armed Forces and U.S. Army Europe and Africa military legal professionals ahead of a two-week course on operational law held in Poland from July 22 to Aug. 5, 2024. The training aimed to inform U.S. military lawyers of the unique challenges facing UAF counterparts, and support those Ukrainian military legal professionals in advising their commanders and enabling operations.

U.S. European Command's cyber directorate concludes its 2024 Command, Control, Computers and Communications Security Cooperation Summit on Aug. 9, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, after bringing together more than 80 representatives from multiple U.S. organizations to assist in C4 security cooperation planning.

Defense Command Finland’s Brig. Gen. Tero Ylitalo alongside U.S. European Command’s Brig. Gen. Quaid Quadri, Jr. – discussed a full spectrum of topics, ranging from operational plans and theater strategy to NATO integration and implementation of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two nations from August 6-7, 2024.

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division secure a landing zone alongside their counterparts from 2nd Special Forces Battalion during Dynamic Force Exercise in Tolemaida, Colombia, January 26, 2020.

Representatives from Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and the United States pose for a group photo during the Baltic Architecture and Governance working groups in Stuttgart, Germany, July 15-18, 2024.

A B-52H Stratofortress from the 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., makes its initial landing at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, in support of Bomber Task Force Deployment 24-4, July 21, 2024. The lethal, long-range strike capabilities provided by strategic bombers influence the decision making of our nation’s competitors and adversaries by ensuring they know that the cost of military aggression would be outweighed by any potential gain. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Seth Watson)

A pair of B-52H Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., fly in formation alongside Romanian and Finnish fighter jets as part of Bomber Task Force deployment 24-4, July 21, 2024. BTF 24-4 underpins the NATO alliance’s collective deterrence and commitment to defending the Euro-Atlantic region from hostile actions. (Courtesy Photo)

A KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, refuels a B-52H Stratofortress from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., while escorted by a Finnish F/A-18C Hornet during Bomber Task Force deployment 24-4, July 21, 2024. The U.S. military works alongside NATO allies and partners to ensure a safe, stable, and secure Euro-Atlantic region by increasing military capabilities, readiness, and interoperability. (Courtesy Photo)

Two B-52H Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., fly in formation with fighter jets from Romania and Finland as they arrive at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, in support of Bomber Task Force Deployment 24-4, July 21, 2024. The U.S. military works alongside NATO Allies and partners to ensure a safe, stable, and secure Euro-Atlantic region by increasing military capabilities, readiness, and interoperability. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Seth Watson)

New York National Guard holds National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program signing ceremony with the Kingdom of Sweden, at One World Trade Center, in Manhattan, on July 12, 2024. The State Partnership Program pairs state National Guard’s with the militaries of countries around the world in bilateral training and exchange partnerships. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Lt. Col Jean Marie Kratzer)

A U.S. Marine with the II Marine Expeditionary Force shakes hands with a Swedish Army soldier with Gotland Regiment's 181st Armored Battalion during exercise Baltic Operations 24 in Gotland, Sweden, June 15, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. James R. Kriesel, U.S. European Command's director of exercises and assessments and Finnish Army Brig. Gen. Manu Tuominen, Finnish Defense Forces' assistant chief of staff for training meet with Finnish conscripts during an official visit to Finland July 9-11, 2024.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. James R. Kriesel, U.S. European Command's director of exercises and assessments, conducted an official visit to Finland July 9-11, 2024, to learn more about the Finnish military conscription system along with the exercise and training programs of the Finnish Army and Air Forces. The bilateral military visit was hosted by Finnish Army Brig. Gen. Manu Tuominen, Finnish Defense Forces' assistant chief of staff for training.

On July 10, 2024, the U.S. certified a new BAK-12 system, designed to protect fighter aircraft in emergency situations, to the Slovakian Ministry of Defense in advance of the arrival of Slovak F-16s later this month. By putting the BAK-12 arresting system into operation at Malacky Air Base, Slovakia, our Allies take another significant step to accommodate modern aircraft into their fleet and to bolster collective deterrence and defense of the Euro-Atlantic. The ceremony included a demonstration of the new system by aircraft from the U.S. Air Force's 510th Fighter Squadron, based out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, and remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana, who expressed his appreciation to Slovak and U.S. Air Force personnel and highlighted the work Slovakia has done to strengthen its defense capabilities.

Members of the Croatian Armed Forces and the Minnesota National Guard work together as part of a blue team during the Adriatic Regional Security Cyber Cooperation exercise at the Slovenian Armed Forces Baron Andrej Čehovin barracks in Postojna, Slovenia, July 5, 2024. The two-week cyber security training event included representatives from six Adriatic nations working alongside their U.S. National Guard counterparts.

Maryland Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Custead, a cyber operator with the 276th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, supports as a red team member during the Adriatic Regional Security Cyber Cooperation exercise at the Slovenian Armed Forces Baron Andrej Čehovin barracks in Postojna, Slovenia, July 5, 2024. The two-week cyber security training event included representatives from six Adriatic nations working alongside their U.S. National Guard counterparts.

Maryland Army National Guard Sgt. Emmanuel Unaka, cyber threat intelligence analyst with Cyber Protection Team 169, listens to Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lt. Armin Kolašinac, a Security Operations Center member, as part of a blue team during the Adriatic Regional Security Cyber Cooperation exercise at the Slovenian Armed Forces Baron Andrej Čehovin barracks in Postojna, Slovenia, July 5, 2024. The two-week cyber security training event included representatives from six Adriatic nations working alongside their U.S. National Guard counterparts.

American and Swedish Marines side-by-side in a Swedish Stridsbat 90 during Archipelago Endeavor 23 in Sweden.

As part of a two-day official visit to Lithuania, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Bryony Terrell, deputy director of U.S. European Command's J5 Strategy, Plans and Capabilities Directorate, and Chief of the Lithuanian Defense Staff Maj. Gen. Mindaugas Steponavičius, hosted the first-ever USEUCOM-Lithuania military staff talks June 13-14, 2024, in capital city Vilnius. During the trip, the two senior military officials also surveyed the surroundings from the Queen Louise Bridge, a bridge over the Nemunas River on the Lithuanian-Russian border, and conducted aerial reconnaissance of the Suwalki Gap, a sparsely populated area between Lithuania and Poland that critically serves as the only land route between the Baltic states and the rest of NATO. The trip underscored USEUCOM's commitment to security throughout the Baltics, notably Lithuania, a frontline NATO Ally on Europe's eastern flank.