Portugal Takes Over Baltic Air Policing in Estonia as France Leads From Lithuania

Overview

• Portuguese F-16M jets are now on Quick Reaction Alert from Ämari Air Base under NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, with four aircraft and about 95 personnel.
• French Rafales have begun leading the mission from Šiauliai in Lithuania, operating alongside Romanian F-16s within NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence network.
• The Italian Air Force ended its two back-to-back rotations at Ämari after logging more than 1,300 flying hours and running counter‑drone, close air support, and multinational training.
• The Spanish Air and Space Force concluded its Šiauliai deployment after more than 900 flying hours and over 25 alert scrambles, adding base counter‑drone protection and A400M refueling support.
• The Baltic Air Policing mission safeguards the skies of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which rely on allied fighter rotations because they do not operate their own combat jets.