Norwegian JTACs and RAF Typhoons In Lithuania

Norwegian ground troops in Lithuania have been training with RAF Typhoons to develop the skills of the Joint Terminal Attack Controller or JTAC.

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It’s the job of the Joint Terminal Attack Controller, or JTAC, to make sure military jets hit their target. That’s the focus of training currently underway in Lithuania, involving both Norwegian troops based with the NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup Lithuania and Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets currently serving in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission based in Šiauliai Air Base. The training, which runs from 11 until 21 May 2020, is aimed at improving Close Air Support (CAS) procedures among multinational ground parties and detachments from BAP missions and the NATO Battle Groups. The training also helps cover some of the JTAC qualification requirements, as well as improving air crew skills.

This NATO Multimedia footage, captured on Wednesday and released today, includes shots of Norwegian troops on the ground, British Eurofighter Typhoon jets on the ground and in the air, and soundbites with Lieutenant Anders from Norway’s Telemark Battalion, NATO eFP Battlegroup Lithuania. GoPro footage from 1:06-2:39 courtesy of the UK Royal Air Force.

1. (00:00) Norwegian soldier marching through a forest
2. (00:05) Norwegian soldiers marching across open ground
3. (00:17) Norwegian soldier holding weapon
4. (00:27) Norwegian soldier looking through laser target designator
5. (00:41) Norwegian soldier looking through binoculars
6. (00:51) Norwegian soldier calling over the radio
7. (01:06) GoPro shot inside a Eurofighter Typhoon flying through clouds facing pilot
8. (01:27) GoPro shot inside a Eurofighter Typhoon facing forward during take-off
9. (01:56) Various shots GoPro shot inside a Eurofighter Typhoon facing forward flying through clouds and over forest
10. (02:39) Soundbite – Lieutenant Anders, Telemark Battalion, NATO eFP battlegroup Lithuania. “I’m here in Lithuania, deployed to the eFP Battle Group with the Telemark Battalion. And here my team has been working with the British Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time and it has been a very good experience and a good opportunity to have a multinational joint training.”
11. (02:58) Soundbite – Lieutenant Anders. “My job is to get the bomb on the target, to say it easy. And I am the link between the aircraft and the ground force commander, who is approving each strike, in order to get the right asset at the target.”
12. (03:15) Soundbite – Lieutenant Anders. “Yeah, I’m here with also a German JTAC JFO (joint Fires Observer) team and we have been working closely together over the last few months and it has been a great arena for more multinational training and learning from each other’s procedures and the way of doing Terminal Attack Control.”