All posts tagged: Airspace

My NATO rage began with Greenland, Trump says – POLITICO

My NATO rage began with Greenland, Trump says – POLITICO

Trump used the Monday press conference to broaden his attack on NATO, accusing transatlantic military allies of failing to support Washington during the Iran war. “I think it’s a mark on NATO that will never disappear,” he said, adding he was “very disappointed” by the lack of military backing after several countries — including Spain — refused to grant access to bases or airspace, and European governments declined to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz. The comments echo a growing drumbeat of criticism from the Trump administration. Trump floated the idea of pulling the U.S. out of NATO last week, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the alliance risks becoming “not a very good arrangement” for Washington. European leaders have so far resisted U.S. pressure. In a call last Thursday involving more than 40 leaders, governments discussed diplomatic and economic steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz but stopped short of any concrete military commitment. French President Emmanuel Macron went further, warning such a military operation would be “unrealistic.” NATO Secretary-General …

Austria blocks US warplanes from its airspace – POLITICO

Austria blocks US warplanes from its airspace – POLITICO

Under Austrian law, all foreign military flights must apply for permission and declare their purpose before entering the country’s airspace. Requests tied to active conflicts are rejected, but routine transit or training missions are eligible for approval on a case-by-case basis. Bauer declined to say how many requests the U.S. had made, telling POLITICO he did not yet have the figures and that compiling them would take time. “The question is — why submit a request to a neutral state in the first place?” he added, hardening Vienna’s stance against Washington. Austria has been “permanently neutral” since 1955, when its parliament persuaded the Soviet Union to end its post-war occupation of the country by passing a constitutional act vowing to never “join any military alliances, nor permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory.” More than 70 years later, a majority of Austrians remain committed to the principle of state neutrality and are in favor of keeping the country out of military alliances like NATO. Center-right Chancellor Christian Stocker’s coalition government was …

Trump’s rage at NATO allies is binding them together — against him  – POLITICO

Trump’s rage at NATO allies is binding them together — against him  – POLITICO

Nordic table talk In Helsinki last week, 10 European leaders met for a private dinner without their officials and aides in the intimate surroundings of the Mannerheim Museum, the home of Finland’s World War II leader Gustaf Mannerheim.  Amid the 1940s interiors, decorated with the former president’s hunting trophies, the leaders of countries including the U.K, Sweden, Finland and Norway held a frank discussion about the dire state of the transatlantic alliance. Trump’s stream of invective via social media is bad and getting worse, they all agreed.  But they resolved they couldn’t consent to the U.S. president’s demands to join the fighting against Iran.  Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a working dinner on Oct. 23, 2025. | Pool photo by François Walschaerts via AFP/Getty Images “We all want the war to end but we are not on the same page as the U.S.,” said one official briefed on the discussions. Trump wants NATO to help, but the leaders remain resistant because “most Europeans were not informed beforehand …

Pentagon Weighs Anti-Drone Laser Weapon Deployment In DC To Fortify Airspace

Pentagon Weighs Anti-Drone Laser Weapon Deployment In DC To Fortify Airspace

We outlined a glaring security gap in U.S. counter-drone defenses well before the U.S.-Iran conflict erupted one month ago. At the time, we specifically pointed out that data centers are largely unprepared for drone threats. We believe the Gulf conflict – after Iran bombed multiple data centers and military bases – has likely pushed the federal government into panic mode, accelerating efforts to deploy counter-drone systems around high-value targets across the homeland, whether military bases or civilian infrastructure. This brings us to a New York Times report from Tuesday morning outlining how the Department of War is considering deploying anti-drone laser weapons near Fort McNair in Washington, DC, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reside, following recent reports of suspicious activity and ongoing concerns about drone attacks on the homeland. The report cited sources who “requested anonymity” and said the Army is discussing deploying laser weapons that would add an extra layer of security to some of the world’s most secure airspace across the Washington-Baltimore region. The Federal Aviation Administration …

Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in war on Iran | US-Israel war on Iran News

Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in war on Iran | US-Israel war on Iran News

The announcement comes after Madrid refused to let Washington use jointly operated military bases for the US-Israel war on Iran. Published On 30 Mar 202630 Mar 2026 Spain has closed its airspace to planes of the United States involved in the US-Israel war on Iran, the latest step in the country’s opposition to the conflict. Defence Minister Margarita Robles confirmed the airspace closure to reporters on Monday after Spain’s El Pais newspaper first reported on it, quoting military sources. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “This was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning. Therefore, neither the bases are authorised, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorised for any actions related to the war in Iran,” Robles said. “I think everyone knows Spain’s position; it’s very clear,” the minister added, calling the war on Iran “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust”. Spain had already said earlier this month that the US could not use jointly operated military bases in the war, which Spanish Prime Minister …

Two cross-border drones crash in Finland – POLITICO

Two cross-border drones crash in Finland – POLITICO

The drones crashed near the city of Kouvola, about 200 kilometers northeast of Helsinki, the ministry said, adding that the Finnish Defence Forces are investigating the incident together with other authorities. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told Finnish state broadcaster Yle that the drones likely came from Ukraine, which has been conducting attacks on Russian territory along the border with Finland. Earlier on Sunday, the Finnish Defence Forces deployed fighter jets to southeastern Finland as Ukraine mounted drone attacks on Russian oil ports in the Gulf of Finland. This story is being updated. Source link

Lithuania Says a Suspected Drone Enters Its Airspace, Crashes Into Lake Near Belarus

Lithuania Says a Suspected Drone Enters Its Airspace, Crashes Into Lake Near Belarus

VILNIUS, March 23 (Reuters) – Lithuania’s ⁠army ⁠said on Monday ⁠that a suspected drone had ​entered the country’s airspace and crashed into an ‌ice-covered lake some 20 ‌km (12 miles) from the border ⁠of ⁠Belarus. Debris found around a hole in the ice ​was believed to be from a drone, an army spokesperson said. Night-time security camera footage ​published by Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT included ⁠about 40 ⁠seconds of buzzing ⁠sound ​followed by a loud blast, with what appeared ​to be ⁠pieces of flaming debris seen flying upwards. “We are very close to Belarus… The most likely assumption is it came ⁠from this country”, army spokesperson Gintautas Ciunis said. No ⁠explosives had been found at the lake, he said. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has called a National Security Commision consultation for Tuesday to discuss the incident. Lithuania last year asked NATO for more air defences after military drones from ⁠Belarus landed on its territory twice in July 2025. Lithuanian intelligence said earlier this month that both drones had entered ​Lithuania accidentally. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas, …