A Royal Danish Air Force F-16 pilot participates in Operation Global Guardian 24-2. OPERATION GLOBAL GUARDIAN 24-2
THE WATCH STAFF
North American and European allies conducted Operation Global Guardian on June 18, 2024, to demonstrate the advantage of global alliances, integrated deterrence, layered defense, readiness and the seamless integration of Air Forces from North America and European nations in support of Arctic Defense and NATO’s northern flank. The Air Forces from eight nations participated including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Kingdom of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The operation was part of the Global Guardian series of biannual enhanced vigilance activities that demonstrate how the United States and allied nations through global integration can provide continuous and coordinated air defense cover against adversary long-range aviation threats to Europe and North America.
In his 2024 posture statement delivered on March 12, 2024, Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), emphasized the importance of global alliances and partnerships, stating, “Global alliances and partnerships based on mutual trust and interoperability provide the United States and our allies with a distinct advantage over our competitors. Our competitors continue their relentless efforts to increase presence, economic leverage, and influence in our region, proving the necessity of security cooperation with USNORTHCOM’s exemplary military partners time and again.”
Operation Global Guardian supports the Department of Defense (DOD) global exercise series, with United States European Command (USEUCOM) as the lead Combatant Command for 2024. USEUCOM’s Large Scale Global Exercise 24 (LSGE 24) is designed to strengthen agility and interoperability with allies and partners and demonstrate joint and military cooperation. Other participating DOD combatant commands in Operation Global Guardian included
A key contributor to Operation Global Guardian is the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) consisting of 10 northern European nations committed to coordinated exercises and defense activities to preserve peace and security, reassure allies and partners, and deter malign influence activities in the High North, Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea region and northern Atlantic. The JEF includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Since Finland and Sweden’s accession, all JEF participant nations are also NATO members. The United Kingdom provides the permanent operational headquarters for the JEF at Standing Joint Force Headquarters in Northwood, United Kingdom, with Maj. Gen. Tom Bateman as commander.
“Global Guardian is exciting,” said Group Capt. Kevin Latchman RAF, JEF director of communications in Northwood, U.K. “Not only does it leverage high-end B-52 capability from the U.S., but it also provides a unique opportunity to work together across the vast geography of the High North and North Atlantic and test our operational and tactical linkages across a
number of domains.”
Operation Global Guardian began at 7:25 a.m. on June 18, 2024, when two United States Air Force (USAF) B-52 bombers took off from Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford station in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. At 8:55 a.m., the Bomber Task Force (BTF) was intercepted by two RAF Typhoon fighters for escort. At 10:25 a.m., the BTF was joined by two F-35 fighters from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Fifteen minutes later, two F-16 fighters from the Kingdom of Denmark Air Force joined in providing BTF air support. At 11:15 a.m., the BTF was joined by two JAS39 Gripens from the Swedish Air Force. At 11:50 a.m., the BTF was intercepted by two F-35 fighters from the Royal Norwegian Air Force. At 12:25 p.m., the BTF was intercepted by two FA-18 fighters from the Finnish Air Force. Both Finland and Sweden are new NATO members with robust air power capability. Finally, at 1:10 p.m., the B-52 bomber task force split over North America ‘s eastern and western flanks.
In summary, Operation Global Guardian demonstrated global integration through coordinated air operations, sensor networks and Quick Reaction Alert fighter and tanker readiness in defense of the Arctic and NATO’s northern flank. Participating nations connected their Air Forces through shared command and control centers (air operations centers), executed intercepts, and coordinated handoffs to successive defense layers. This collaborative effort unified North American and European allies into a cohesive front against potential adversary long-range aviation threats. Finally, the United States and allied Air Forces from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Kingdom of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland demonstrated the credibility and flexibility of allied forces to address the complex, dynamic and unpredictable nature of the global security environment.