NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft have deployed to Lithuania to monitor the skies over eastern Europe.
The first of two E-3A AWACS planes arrived at Šiauliai Air Base on 28 September 2023, with another soon to follow. The two aircraft will fly missions to monitor Russian military activity near the Alliance’s borders. Often referred to as NATO’s ‘eyes in the sky’, the aircraft are among the few assets owned and operated by NATO itself. Based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, the planes can fly for up to eight and a half hours while monitoring more than 120,000 square kilometres of territory.
NATO has increased its air presence in the eastern part of the Alliance using fighter jets, surveillance planes and tankers. The NATO AWACS mission is scheduled to last several weeks. Around 150 military personnel from Czechia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Türkiye, and the United States, have deployed to Šiauliai in support of the aircraft. Footage includes shots of the aircraft at Šiauliai Air Base and in flight, as well as interviews with Danish and German personnel.
---SHOTLIST—
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – AWACS AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC AT ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE
(00:25) CLOSE SHOT – THE RADAR OF THE AWACS AIRCRAFT
(00:33) WIDE SHOT – AWACS AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC AT ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE
(00:41) CLOSE SHOT – NATO BRANDED COVER ON AIRCRAFT ENGINE
(00:47) VARIOUS SHOTS – AWACS AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC AT ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE
(01:36) VARIOUS SHOTS – CREW APPROACHING THE AWACS AIRCRAFT
(01:55) VARIOUS SHOTS – CREW INSIDE COCKPIT OF AWACS AIRCRAFT
(02:30) VARIOUS SHOTS – AWACS AIRCRAFT TAKING OFF
(03:10) VARIOUS SHOTS – CREW WORKING AT TERMINALS INSIDE AIRCRAFT
(04:23) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – CAPTAIN KARE P, NATO AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
“Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have multiplied our flying hours and our presence here on the eastern flank. It's an important signal for also the population of the countries here in the east that NATO has a strong presence here. We provide as much information and as much guidance as we can with the sensors that we have available to this aircraft.”
(04:46) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) MASTER SERGEANT ANDI B, NATO AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
“The presence on the eastern flank is actually so other countries basically they say, ‘okay, we're not afraid of anything’, and also to support the countries on the eastern flank. So they're not feeling actually alone and therefore we're here. So they see, ‘okay, NATO's standing side beside us’.”
(05:09) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) MASTER SERGEANT ANDI B, NATO AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
“Everything what we do here on board, will be also sent to other NATO aircraft. That means everything what we see on our screen will be sent to the higher commands so they see exactly what is going on at present and therefore they can decide, making decisions if we would need more aircraft or how we can, what else kind of assets we would need in the future.”
(05:34) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) MASTER SERGEANT ANDI B, NATO AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
“The AWACS, the main task for the aircraft is, of course, to identify all air tracks and also surface tracks no matter where we fly. For the air tracks it is to identify are they friendly, are they the foe and to see is certain aircraft, are they allowed to fly in certain airspaces and also for ships. For example, when we fly in the Mediterranean to identify, are those fishing ships or are those pirates? So that is actually the main task what we can see. And also with our radar, we have a long and huge coverage. Where we can see already from far, what kind of aircraft is flying.”
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