Why did Turkey withdraw from NATO’s Ramstein Flag 2024 exercise in Greece?

Fighter and transport jets from several NATO countries have landed at Andravida Air Base in Greece for the upcoming Ramstein Flag 2024 exercise.

The training, led by NATO’s Allied Air Command and hosted by the Hellenic Air Force, will take place from September 30 to October 10, 2024.

Ramstein Flag, designed to enhance cooperation, interoperability, and integration, is considered a vital component of NATO’s future exercise strategy. The training will focus on preparing for current and emerging threats.

“We will execute further improved tactics, more robust integration leading to stronger deterrence,” said General James B. Hecker, Commander of Allied Air Command.

Participating forces include Greece, France, Italy, Sweden, and the United States among others. The exercise will also feature AWACS aircraft from NATO and France, providing air operations control.

While thirteen countries initially planned to participate, Turkey opted out due to ongoing disagreements over the area covered by the Athens flight information region (FIR), a contentious issue since 1974.

The Turkish Air Force’s refusal to submit flight plans in Greek airspace led to its withdrawal, marking the second such instance following a similar decision during NATO’s 2022 Tiger Meet.

The Athens flight information region according to the European AIS Database (Source: Eurocontrol)The post Why did Turkey withdraw from NATO’s Ramstein Flag 2024 exercise in Greece? appeared first on AeroTime.

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