NATO Aircraft Conduct Large-Scale Unannounced Exercises Near Kaliningrad

NATO conducted large-scale air exercises near Russia’s Kaliningrad region from Poland and the Baltic states, Alliance’s press service reports.

About 25 aircraft from various NATO member states took part in the flights on August 18.

Among the aircraft, the AirNav Radar service detected U.S. C-40A Clippers (AE04D8, CNV6617), EA-37B Compass Call IIs (AE1436, SHOCK55), and a Bombardier Challenger 650 (AE0C98, BRIO66), an E-3A Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft (AE3ECB, NATO02), Polish Gulfstream G550s (48D980, PLF110, and 48D960, PLF105), Airbus A330 MRTT refueling aircraft from the MMF (480C42, AE04C4, 480C48, and AE04FD, MMF16), a Lithuanian Let L-410UVP (503FD9, LYF468), as well as American AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters (AE74D9 and AEB3B5, COVET10).

In addition, separate activity was recorded in the Skagerrak Strait between Norway and Denmark.

There, a British P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft (RFR 7048), together with a German aircraft (GNY4511), conducted flights over a specific area for several hours. The flights took place in the area around 57.388°N, 6.849°E.

It is currently unknown what exactly was being practiced during these maneuvers. NATO Allied Air Command explained that the Alliance is constantly improving its defensive capabilities.

According to the command, the increased air activity in the Baltic region on August 18, 2026, was an example of this approach.

At the same time, the command stated that it could not disclose further details due to operational security requirements.

Such aviation activity is nothing new for NATO states.

Previously, such operations were often conducted as part of pre-announced exercises. Similar maneuvers are also carried out in France as part of drills simulating the use of nuclear deterrence forces to strike an adversary.

In March 2025, France held the Poker 2025 nuclear deterrence exercise, involving around 10 aircraft.

During the exercise, the aircraft did not use actual ASMP-A missiles with nuclear warheads. Instead, they were equipped with inert training rounds that matched the missiles’ size and weight, which the crew could safely jettison in the event of an emergency.