NATO-TV

In Lithuania, elves no longer only live in fantasy books – every day, they fight a real battle against fake news trolls on the Internet. Russian-backed disinformation activities on social and traditional media in the country is considered by Lithuanian authorities as a “high-level security threat” and has been included as one of the major issues in the 2017 National Security Threat Assessment report issued by Lithuania’s State Security Department.

NATOChannel met Ričardas Savukynas, one of the elves that fight against Russian disinformation spread by trolls on social media, and talked to him about his group’s activities to counter them.

1st Lieutenant Ieva Ljordane-Liflande is a logistics officer for the Latvian armed forces, which has a higher than average ratio of female members, standing at 17%. As well as her day to day logistics work with the Latvian army, Ieva helps the US military with logistics and equipment during their stay in Latvia as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

1st Lieutenant Erin Schneider is commander of an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) detachment in NATO’s mission in Kosovo, KFOR. In a country where finding old munitions left over from past wars is common, her role means that her team is often called out to investigate, and either remove the munitions safely or detonate them in location. This is what her role means to her, and why she’s more afraid of birds than explosives.

‘Maximum 10 minutes and we’re ready to fire, fully combat-capable.’ Romania sends 100 men from its 205th Air Defense Battalion to Poland to support NATO troops on the Alliance’s eastern flank.

The 205th Air Defense Battalion from Romania is deploying 100 personnel abroad for the first time on a NATO deployment. They’re set to provide air support and cover for the multinational battlegroup heading to Poland as part of NATO’s enhanced forward presence on its eastern flank.

The Romanians will also be joined by troops from the United Kingdom.

Footage includes soundbites from a Romanian Brigade Commander who explains the motivation for the mission and the necessity of working closely with Allies. It also includes various shots of the battalion test firing anti-aircraft guns at a range in Romania near Constanta, including drone and GoPro shots.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answers questions at a press conference

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Snow and sand are the enemies of any helicopter pilot. NATO and its partner country Switzerland recently brought their pilots together to trial new technology aimed at letting pilots fly in any weather, 365 days a year.

Belgian quick reaction fighter pilots were tested this year when a commercial aircraft went “comms-silent” over Europe. As part of the new joint Benelux air policing mission for NATO, they were scrambled to intercept the flight.

In a new arrangement for NATO air policing, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will work together to secure their skies. While air assets will patrol their own skies as normal, when they cross into the airspace of one of the other two countries participating in the missions they will pass under the control of that country, thus increasing effectiveness and pooling of resources.

Belgium is the first country in the lead and has been tested more than once this year during intercepts of commercial aircraft that have lost communications with air traffic control.

When an Air India plane lost communications with air control due to a technical failure, Hungarian, German and, finally, Belgian pilots flew fighter jets alongside the 787 Dreamliner plane, which was carrying 231 passengers, for two hours as it passed over Europe.

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“Standardization is like air, you breathe, you don’t notice that.” From bullets to batteries and everything in between, STANAGs are a vital part of the NATO Alliance.

There are over 2000 subject matter experts worldwide who help draft STANAGs. STANAGs are Standardization Agreements each NATO member state ratifies and implements within their own military.

They can cover anything from the bullets used in weapons through to the phonetic radio alphabet now used worldwide. This piece features an interview with Major General Edvardas Mazeikis, Director of the NATO Standardization Office, and shots of Alliance standards in practice, including drone and go pro.

Meet the man heading up the new NATO battlegroup in Poland. Lieutenant Colonel Steven Gventer says he’s following in his father’s footsteps.

The US 2nd Cavalry Regiment has recently deployed to Poland as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence. The Regiment possesses a long history of service in Europe, fighting in both World Wars. In World War Two, they helped to liberate Belgium, Czechoslovakia and France from the Nazis. Following the end of World War Two, the Regiment stayed on in Germany under a US mission to defend the peace. The Regiment has returned to the United States twice since then, spending 58 of the past 72 years stationed in Bavaria. Since 2006, their base has been at Rose Barracks located in Vilseck, Germany. At this site, a museum commemorates the Regiment’s 181 years of history. Footage includes soundbites from the curator of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment Reed Museum, footage of troops in Poland and still photographs highlighting the unit’s involvement in World War Two.