A joint surveillance mission saw a French E-3F and a British RC-135 operating over the Black Sea supported by tankers and fighters from Belgium and France.
Belgium, France and the UK conducted a surveillance mission over the Black Sea on Jul. 23, 2025. The Belgian Defence and the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace/FASF) shared images on social media which showed the involvement of two F-16s from the Belgian F-16s, two French Rafales, a French E-3F Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), and three A330 MRTTs (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), of which two were French and the other was from the NATO MMF (Multinational MRTT Fleet) with a Belgian crew.
It is unclear which British assets took part in the operation, as the UK Ministry of Defense did not release information. However, flight tracking data show that a RAF RC-135W operated over the Black Sea in the same timeframe.
It is possible that other British aircraft were involved, as a similar joint surveillance mission on Apr. 11, 2025, saw the presence of a RAF RC-135, Typhoons and a Voyager KC3 (British designation for the Airbus A330 MRTT). In that case, the RC-135 departed from its home station at RAF Waddington, while the other assets departed from RAF Akrotiri, in Cyprus.
Yesterday, 🇧🇪 #F16, in support of and in cooperation with 🇫🇷& 🇬🇧, have carried out a defensive air surveillance mission over the Black Sea. This operation is part of an enhanced vigilance and strengthens European security and freedom of navigation in international waters. pic.twitter.com/v2VIzJ8SX7
— Belgian Defence (@BelgiumDefence) July 24, 2025
The mission
The three MRTTs refueled all French and Belgian aircraft involved, with the images showing a Rafale C behind one MRTT with both its wing-mounted hose and drogue systems extended, and an F-16 behind another MRTT which extended its centerline boom. An image from inside one of the A330s showed a shot from the boom operator’s console during the refueling of the E-3F AWACS.
The Belgian Air Component F-16As, possibly from the 10th Tactical Wing at Kleine Brogel Air Base, are armed with two live AIM-120 AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) on the wingtips and two live AIM-9X Sidewinders on the outer pylons. The French Rafale Cs appears to be armed with four MICA air-to-air missiles, of which two are MICA IRs on the wingtips and two MICA RFs (Radio Frequency) on the outer pylons.
Live tracks from FlightRadar24 shared by ‘MilitaryNewsUA’ showed the three tankers, with the NATO MRTT flying with the callsign ‘MMF20’ and one of the French tankers flying with the callsign ‘VANT91.’ A Rafale was also visible, with the callsign ‘FAF7160.’
❗️The 🇫🇷French Air Force has released photos of yesterday’s NATO surveillance mission over the Black Sea involving an E-3F AWACS aircraft, Rafale fighters and 🇧🇪Belgian F-16s. pic.twitter.com/x9LuKp546y
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) July 24, 2025
The tankers established an orbit off the Bulgarian coast, while the other aircraft continued their flight venturing deeper over the central part of the Black Sea, south of the Russian-held Crimean peninsula.
Hier, des #F16 🇧🇪, en soutien et en collaboration avec 🇫🇷 & 🇬🇧, ont effectué une mission défensive de surveillance aérienne au-dessus de la mer Noire. Objectif : vigilance accrue, renfort de la sécurité européenne et de la libre circulation dans les eaux internationales. pic.twitter.com/pHuY93zuy8
— Belgian Defence (@BelgiumDefence) July 24, 2025
The RAF RC-135 was seen on flight tracking websites as it flew from Waddington to the Black Sea and back with the callsign ‘RRR7223.’ According to the available tracking data, the multinational package worked over the Black Sea for about four hours.
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Significance
The Belgian Defence said that its F-16s, supported by and in cooperation with France and Britain, “carried out a defensive air surveillance mission over the Black Sea.” The statement further added that “this operation is part of an enhanced vigilance and strengthens European security and freedom of navigation in international waters.”
📍 Black Sea | Full air package on display. 🇫🇷🇬🇧🇧🇪
Joint surveillance mission over a strategic area with our allies 🇬🇧 and 🇧🇪to ensure the security of the European continent.
👉 Safeguarding security and preventing any threat at Europe’s borders.
👉 Ensuring freedom of… pic.twitter.com/Yw98A6wprK
— The 🇫🇷 Joint Staff – Military operations (@FrenchForces) July 24, 2025
The French Joint Operations Command called the operation a “full air deployment” over the Black Sea. “Joint surveillance mission of a strategic area with our allies Belgium and Britain for the security of the European continent,” mentioned the post on X, adding that the two goals were “preserving security and preventing any threat at Europe’s borders,” and “ensuring freedom of navigation and access to shared spaces.”
Differentiating from previous similar French-British surveillance missions, the Belgian participation comes as the country is working to increase its role within NATO. The country also recently announced it will be increasing its F-35A order by 11 airframes, taking its planned fleet from 34 to 45 aircraft.
The first eight Belgian airframes have already been delivered, and are being used for the training of Belgian Air Component pilots in the United States. The first F-35s to be based in Belgium are expected to make the journey across the Atlantic later this year.
Belgium also wants to enhance its role in the FCAS (Future Combat Air System) sixth generation fighter project with France, Germany and Spain, by moving from an observer status to a full member in the program’s next phase, as reported by Aviation Week. This would imply the participation of Belgian aerospace company SABCA, which in the past has built F-16s under license and continues to maintain them, and also produces components for the F-35.
Gisteren hebben 🇧🇪 #F16’s ter ondersteuning van en in samenwerking met 🇫🇷 & 🇬🇧 een defensieve luchtbewakingsopdracht uitgevoerd boven de Zwarte Zee. Deze inzet kadert in verhoogde waakzaamheid en versterkt de Europese veiligheid en vrije doorgang boven internationale wateren pic.twitter.com/xatbjvXce9
— Belgian Defence (@BelgiumDefence) July 24, 2025
NATO also announced the increase of its A330 MRTT fleet from ten to 12 aircraft, with the additional order of two more airframes by the NSPA (NATO Support and Procurement Agency) announced by Airbuson Jun. 24, 2025. The two additional aircraft will be delivered in 2028 and 2029 and their order coincides with the formal accession of Sweden and Denmark to the MMF program.
Operated within NATO’s Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF), the aircraft are currently funded and operated by the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Germany, Belgium and Czech Republic, with Sweden and Denmark now adding to the fleet. The MMF aids a “pooling arrangement providing commonality, interoperability and cost efficiency, a prime example of European operational defence collaboration,” Airbus explained.
