UK Defence Forum

French still train for it I have Mirage 2000's low level over the farm once a week at around 200ft

Are they the nuclear-tasked ones?

Ending tomorrow:
"SWENEX-21 is an exercise planned and led by the Swedish Navy in which Finland has been invited to participate.

The training takes place primarily in the southern Baltic Sea and Hanö Bay. Around 2200 people take part in total. Approximately 25 warships, such as the corvettes, mine countermeasures vessels, auxiliary vessels, and submarines are participating in the exercise. Finland will participate in the exercise with eight vessels."
- southern Baltic... clear expression of how shipping lanes are a priority within the 30+2 NATO co-operation
- activity that may need to occur in the 'grey zone' phase, before the other 30 are, or get, in any way involved

Would that have been near to the joint Swedish-Finnish naval exercises
...provides a whiff of reality (IF that was the case)

I wonder how countries on the Baltic Sea are going to deal with Kallingrad? All Russian Aircraft have been barred for EU air space so that means any Russian aircraft flying to the enclave have to take a very narrow and circuitous route over the Baltic. Will Russia simply ignore the EU declaration and fly across the small strip of land that separates the enclave from Russia? Unless NATO had a permanent standing patrol sirborne these is little to stop them doing so except shooting them down with GBAD.

I wonder how Sweden and Finland will deal with Russian aircraft using their airspace to avoid that of the EU? How far would they be willing to go to enforce their airspace?

Lord Jim wrote: ↑03 Mar 2022, 02:55 I wonder how Sweden and Finland will deal with Russian aircraft using their airspace to avoid that of the EU?

Err, they are both in the EU.

But funnily enough, under a year ago, was it Putin's or Lavrov's plane just a year ago that took the much longer route over Sweden and Finland to St. Pete... to avoid being tagged by those 'pesky' Nato air patrols.

I didn't realise that. I though they had close relations with the EU as well as some agreements but not full membership. You learn something new every day. In that case how are Russian aircraft going to get to and from Kaliningrad?

Lord Jim wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 00:02 I didn't realise that. I though they had close relations with the EU as well as some agreements but not full membership. You learn something new every day. In that case how are Russian aircraft going to get to and from Kaliningrad?

Presumably they would have to fly the long way round from St Petersburg over the Baltic Sea. I am presuming there is an aerospace equivalent of International Waters?

As per the previous answer, the same way as the Nordstream2 further out to Germany. The pipeline ran 'out' of intl waters around Bornholm (Denmark) and that took long to resolve
- not sure how territorial waters/ EEZs (midlines and all that) correspond to the imaginary lines in airspace

I suppose we will have to see how actively NATO and the EU enforce the latter's sanctions to all Russian aircraft.

Sweden signing up to nato

Greta won't like that....

It used to be called growing up. She is just going to have to accept it!

Countries bordering or near Russia now believe that you need to be allied with others or else you a vulnerable, and NATO is the obvious choice, especially as both Sweden and Finland have regularly rained with NAOT forces for quite a while now. Moldova need t be invited as well even though it has a disputed area controlled by Russian leaning militants. This area already contains Russian "Peacekeepers", but these were also present in the breakaway regions of Georgia and look what happened there.

If Sweden applies, can countries like Hundary or even Turkey veto their admission. If so, wouldn't Russia respond with attacks?

If either country applies, they need to be admitted in days after application, otherwise Russia can launch strikes and invalidate their applications as either/or both countries could be involved in a conflict which is against the terms of admissions into NATO.

Maybe the best thinking to do is for Sweden and Finland to make a pack with each other first that if ether is attacked both are attacked and then look at NATO

A second front now against Sweden and Finland could be a big mistake for Russia

Lol not being funny but I think how Russia has performed if Russia attacked Finland and Sweden the Russian forces would get their arses kicked, with Sweden and Finland with their air force ,and modern equipment ,yeah go on Russia just try it

“Defeat Day” Parade on 9th May ?

Sweden's ultimate deterrent to invasion.

Because He (or She) Who dares Wins!

Interview with the Chief of Navy and the head of naval procurement at FMV:

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... leyes-saab

Based on the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet airframe, the GlobalEye will be designated S 106 in Försvarsmakten (Swedish Armed Forces) service. The contract, valued at around SEK7.3 billion ($710 million), was signed on June 30, with deliveries of the two aircraft scheduled for 2027.

Featuring the Saab Erieye ER radar in a “ski-box” fairing and advanced command and control system, the GlobalEye offers a potent AEW&C capability with a radar range of over 300nm. The aircraft also features other sensors such as multi-role search radar and electro-optic sensors for maritime and overland surveillance. The launch customer was the United Arab Emirates, which has received three GlobalEyes with another pair currently undergoing modification.

The S 100Ds have been used intensively in recent years due to growing tensions with Russia and increasing activity over the Baltic Sea by Russian aircraft. The GlobalEyes will bring significantly increased levels of airframe and system performance. ”The S 106 embodies a considerably strengthened reconnaissance and command capability over air, sea, and land, and also a longer endurance and range compared to today’s capability,” commented Ingela Mathiasson, head of Aviation Equipment at FMV.

There's always a bit of PR for this sort of thing. Quite a bit of it is sales patter, I wouldn't treat the numbers as gospel.