Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder, 52nd Fighter Wing Puplic Affairs released impressive photographs of deployment of U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Kallax Air Base, Sweden during Exercise Trident Juncture 18.

Cold Scandinavian weather conditions at  Kallax Air Base in Sweden provide a unique opportunity to test the readiness of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron during Trident Juncture 18.  Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder says the temperatures dipped below freezing and almost one inch in snow accumulation fell throughout the day.

The 480th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 52d Operations Group, stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

The 480th EFS are participating in Trident Juncture 2018 in the skies above Sweden and Norway. With more than 50,000 participants from 31 nations, this is NATO’s largest exercise since 2015.

The exercise, conducted over several different European countries including Norway, Finland and Sweden, is designed to test NATO’s ability to plan and conduct a major collective defense operation, ranging from troop training at the tactical level, to command over large elements of a NATO force.

The exercise tests the whole military chain – from troop training at the tactical level, to command over large forces. It trains the troops of the NATO Response Force and forces from other allies and partners, ensuring they can work seamlessly together.