Turkey takes over NATO Baltic airspace protection mission from Ämari Air Base
On Saturday, August 1, a NATO airspace protection mission begins at Ämari Air Base, with Turkey providing the first rotation until November. The change follows a NATO summit decision in Ankara in July.
From August 1, the NATO mission at Ämari Air Base shifts from peacetime air policing to active airspace protection for the Baltic states. The decision was made at the NATO summit in Ankara in early July. Until now, allied aircraft had been conducting routine patrols; under the new setup, the entire alliance air defence system can be activated if necessary.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the new approach ensures that additional forces can be brought in quickly if the threat level changes. All preparatory permissions for decision-making have been arranged in advance. He also said the countries taking part in rotations are set for a period of three years and noted that the region sees a high number of airspace violations.
Turkey begins the mission on Saturday and will be replaced after four months. The Turkish contingent at Ämari includes about 80 personnel: ten pilots and the rest support staff such as logistics specialists and mechanics. Five F-16 fighter jets are on 24-hour standby.
Turkish Air Force Lieutenant Atila Özdemir said his unit is proud to serve under the NATO flag, with the goal of protecting NATO airspace, detecting threats and continuing effective air deterrence. According to Pevkur, countries like Portugal, Spain or Germany do not normally need to scramble fighter jets to identify Russian reconnaissance aircraft or fighters in their own airspace, making the Baltic mission an unusual experience for many incoming units. The Turkish rotation is scheduled to end in November.
