NATO Fighters to Begin Low-Altitude Training in Baltics
The decision last May to make permanent NATO's Baltic airspace policing mission was not just out of good will. According to a report, one of the key incentives for the allies was the development of a low-altitude pilot training program in the Baltic countries.
The Estonian Air Force has for some time developed plans to provide the allies with an opportunity to conduct fighter jet exercises, reported Eesti Päevaleht.
“Since Belgium sent the first airspace policing mission here in 2004, during the time of NATO accession, we've been told of the problem that pilots don't receive enough training here, causing their skills to become rusty,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Jaak Tarien.
NATO aircraft already train in the higher altitudes - above three kilometers - of Estonian skies. But the new low-altitude exercises would allow planes to swoop as low as 200 meters above the ground. According to the plans, in 2014, pilots will also begin practicing shooting and dropping bombs at the Defense Forces central training area, located in Kuusalu municipality.
“Low-altitude flying is a tactical procedure against an enemy who has excellent radar coverage. In that case, you need to fly under the radar. And this must be practiced constantly because the planes fly at very high speeds and that demands constant polishing of the pilot's skills,” said Tarien.
The low-altitude training will avoid larger cities and settlements, as well as nature reserves, according to a map the Air Force shared with the media.
One of the reasons the Baltics are attractive for low-altitude training is their low number of civilian flights. Civil aviation has posed a problem for some allied countries.
“One central European nation's representative was very interested upon hearing of developing training areas here. Due to that country's high-density civil aviation activity, their air force had to travel to Canada for training, which is quite a costly undertaking,” Tarien said.
Kaarel Kaas, an analyst at the International Center for Defense Studies, said low-altitude flights are a regular part of training for most air forces, and that 200 meters is a relatively modest elevation.
Ott Tammik