SwiftResponse

SWIFT RESPONSE

Swift Response 25 demonstrates multinational power projection and the expansion of critical capabilities on the battlefield in the High North and Baltics through airborne jumps and integration of technology in support of the Army Modernization Strategy and DoD Arctic Strategy. Swift Response 25 involves five near-simultaneous airborne insertions, HIRAIN training, a field hospital exercise and live fires conducted with NATO networks in Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland from May 11 – 31, 2025.

Videos

Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

Iowa Air Guard performs flyover at University of Iowa vs Purdue football matchup

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

Oct. 16, 2021 | 3:21

B-roll video includes video from the boom pod of a U.S. Air Force KC-135 performing a military flyover of Kinnick stadium in Iowa City, Iowa on game day at the University of Iowa vs Purdue football game on October 16, 2021.

The Iowa Air National Guard KC-135 Statotanker from the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City, Iowa is performing the flyover as part of Iowa Hawkeye football pregame activities. The Iowa Air National Guard aircraft is being flown by an all Iowa air crew.

The Iowa Air Guard has units in Des Moines, Sioux City and Fort Dodge, Iowa, and draws membership from across the state including the Iowa City - Cedar Rapids area. The Iowa National Guard has always had University of Iowa students and alumni among its ranks.

With its distinctive boom the aircraft flown by the Iowa Air Guard unit is unique to the Air Force, designed primarily to provide inflight refueling to U.S. military aircraft.

Flight time from western Iowa to Kinnick Stadium is about 30 minutes where the crew passed over top Kinnick Stadium before landing in Cedar Rapids and making their way to see the 2nd half of the game.

Flying demonstrations like the one on Saturday are part of the U.S. Air Force aerial events program that are designed to demonstrate military capabilities and foster community support.

Italy
Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade will depart from Italy to conduct an airborne drop into Lithuania.
Finland
The Finnish Army will conduct a live fire exercise with the Polish Armed Forces and U.S. Forces will fire HIMARS also known as HIRAIN training.

Polish paratroopers will conduct an airborne jump into Finland, where they will join the Finnish Army to conduct force on force training.
Latvia

In Latvia, paratroopers from Spanish Airborne Brigade and 173rd Airborne Brigade will conduct an airborne jump into Latvia and a live-fire exercises will follow .

Also, the Latvian national exercise, Crystal Arrow, will be conducted simultaneously with Swift Response 25.
Lithuania

In Lithuania, there will be a Field hospital exercise and medical operations. A U.S.-based blood support detachment will deploy to Europe, where they will be issued Army Prepositioned Stock and join the 512th Field Hospital in Lithuania. The exercise will demonstrate theater medical support operations while working under chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear conditions. The field hospital exercise will also include a simulated blood draw and resupply to forward positioned medical teams using drones.

Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade will conduct an airborne assault into Lithuania alongside NATO Allies from France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

The Lithuanian national exercise Iron Wolf will be linked with Swift Response 25 events with participants from the Netherlands, Lithuania and Germany.
Norway
As part of Swift Response 25, paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division will deploy from the U.S. and conduct
a direct airborne jump into Norway in the first major event commencing DEFENDER 25. This event is one of five,
near-simultaneous airborne operations that will be taking place in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.

Also U.S. and Host Nation will conduct Live-fires in Norway.
Sweden

NATO Allies will conduct an airborne jump into Gotland Island, setting the stage for U.S. Marines to conduct a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Insertion (HIRAIN) training on the island.
United Kingdom
Troops moving from United Kingdom to Norway and Sweden.

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