KC-135s Arrive in Latvia

Published June 2, 2018

Two KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., arrived at Riga International Airport, Riga, Latvia today, in support of U.S. Army Europe-led exercise, Saber Strike 2018.
Saber Strike 18 is the eighth iteration of the long-standing U.S. Army Europe-led cooperative training exercise designed to enhance interoperability among allies and regional partners.

This year's exercise, scheduled to take place from June 3-15, will focus on improving land and air operational capabilities with an additional key objective to train with NATO's enhanced Forward Presence battlegroups. The eFP battlegroups located in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are part of NATO's overall deterrence and defense posture and are designed to demonstrate the Alliance's determination and ability to act as one in response to any aggression against its members.

This year's participating nations include: Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

In addition to the KC-135s, other U.S. Air National Guard and U.S. Air Forces Europe exercise support assets includes additional KC-135s, Joint Tactical Air Controllers, a Contingency Response Group and aerial port capabilities as well as participation from other forward deployed forces and aircraft.