In this episode, we explore six major developments across NATO’s air and multi-domain operations — a snapshot of an Alliance sharpening its readiness, accelerating integration, and strengthening deterrence across the Euro-Atlantic region.

We begin in the United States, where the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force completed a demanding deployment to Idaho for Exercise Gunfighter Flag 25-02. Twelve Dutch F-35s conducted advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground training alongside U.S. Air Force units, demonstrating NATO’s ability to rapidly project Airpower and operate together in high-intensity, contested environments.

Next, on NATO’s southern flank, the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force supported Neptune Strike 25-4 with its RQ-4D Phoenix fleet operating from Sigonella. This iteration marked several milestones, including NISRF’s first integration of an ISR Package Commander and simultaneous support to two Joint Force Commands. The mission delivered theatre-wide situational awareness and reinforced NATO’s multi-domain maritime readiness.

In the Baltic region, the Hungarian Air Forces completed a four-month Air Policing mission from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. Flying JAS-39C Gripens, Hungary executed more than twenty Alpha scrambles and maintained a 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert posture in cooperation with Spanish and Italian detachments. Their participation in multinational training missions strengthened interoperability and helped secure NATO’s eastern flank.

At Ramstein, U.S. Air Force aeromedical teams enhanced NATO’s medical readiness during the Medical Evaluation Course. Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron prepared a C-130H Hercules for a large-scale simulated evacuation, working alongside U.S. Army medical personnel and CCATT specialists. The exercise strengthened shared standards and improved Allied interoperability in critical-care air transport.

Across northern Europe, the U.S. Bomber Task Force concluded its latest deployment as B-52H Stratofortress bombers integrated with Finnish, Lithuanian, and Swedish fighter aircraft. Training missions rehearsed responses to anti-access and area-denial threats while showcasing the principles behind NATO’s newest enhanced Vigilance Activity, Eastern Sentry. The deployment showcased NATO’s ability to project its defensive shield across the High North and Eastern Flank.

Finally, at Allied Air Command Headquarters, SACEUR — General Alexus G. Grynkewich — emphasized warfighting readiness during his visit to Ramstein. Meeting with Lieutenant General Jason T. Hinds, he highlighted the need for a warfighting mindset across all levels of command and reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to integrated, multi-domain defence. His visit underscored the Alliance’s focus on adaptation, unity, and preparedness in an evolving security environment.

Together, these six stories illustrate a NATO that is training harder, integrating more deeply, and preparing collectively for the challenges ahead — ensuring Allied Airpower remains ready, resilient, and decisive across the Euro-Atlantic area.

In this episode, Jose “Houdini” Davis sits down with U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Brennan “Thor” Gallagher, one of Allied Air Command’s key operational leads behind Eastern Sentry, NATO’s newest vigilance activity along the Alliance’s Eastern Flank. A U.S. Air Force Weapons School graduate, rescue C-130 pilot, and senior planner in AIRCOM’s A35 directorate, Thor brings deep operational and strategic expertise to a conversation that unpacks both the origin and the ambition of NATO’s Eastern Sentry.

Thor explains how Eastern Sentry emerged as NATO’s immediate response to repeated Russian drone violations in September — airspace intrusions that made clear the Alliance had to shift to a more proactive, integrated air defence posture. This evolution is not cosmetic; it represents a structural change in how NATO protects its populations and airspace. Instead of reacting to incursions, Eastern Sentry pushes sensors, shooters, aircraft, and cyber/space capabilities forward, creating a flexible defensive lattice from the Baltics to the Black Sea.

As the operational lead for Eastern Sentry, AIRCOM is working closely with LANDCOM, MARCOM, and other NATO entities, developing a “sensor-to-shooter ecosystem,” where land-based counter-UAS systems, maritime patrol aircraft, satellite-enabled ISR, and Airpower are bound together by command and control as the glue.

The episode also highlights how Eastern Sentry has triggered a surge of Allied contributions. Nations including Czechia, Germany, France, Denmark, and others have surged aircraft, sensors, and special operations helicopters to reinforce the integrity of NATO’s eastern airspace. These activities — mirrored in real-world events like the Rafale launch out of Poland during an Eastern Sentry alert — demonstrate the speed, cohesion, and credibility of the Alliance’s integrated response network.

Thor walks listeners through how Eastern Sentry is also becoming a proving ground for innovation, testing new counter-UAS technologies, mobile radar units, and rapid sensor-to-shooter links. In partnership with Allied Command Transformation and other NATO components, Eastern Sentry is evaluating systems already gaining traction, shaping what deterrence will look like on NATO territory in the years ahead.

Recorded Monday, 27 October 2025.