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NATO’s Fighter Pilots Go Head-to-Head

  • Defense.gov
  • Sept. 24, 2024 | 3:03

NATO’s fighter pilots met up for a “dogfighting” competition to sharpen their skills in a series of aerial duels high above Ramstein, Germany.

The first “1 vs. 1” event hosted by United States Air Forces in Europe, this competition allowed NATO’s fighter pilots to test their mettle against aircraft they’ve never fought before, providing an invaluable opportunity to familiarize themselves with Allied equipment and tactics.

The competition drew more than 30 jets from nine Allies, namely Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, which hosts the headquarters of NATO’s Allied Air Command.

In this video, NATO asks two pilots who dueled each other – First Lieutenant Alexander “Stitch” Grandt of the German Air Force, and Captain Patrick “Hobbit” Pearce of the US Air Force – to break down their aerial engagement and tell us what they have learnt from going head-to-head.