Turkish F-16s Assume NATO Baltic Air Policing Duty at Estonia's Ämari Base

Five Turkish F‑16 fighter jets and about 76‑80 personnel from the Turkish Air Force’s 181st Jet Squadron were deployed to Estonia’s Ämari Air Base to take over NATO’s Baltic air policing mission. The hand‑over ceremony on 31 July 2026, attended by NATO’s air‑command representative, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur, Portuguese Defence Minister Joao Nuno de Lacerda Teixeira de Melo and Turkish ambassador Başak Türkoğlu, marked the start of a 24/7 alert‑reaction duty that will run from 1 August to 30 November 2026.

The mission secures the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which lack their own fighter jets, and replaces Portugal’s previous contribution. Turkish officials said the deployment enhances NATO’s eastern flank deterrence, provides rapid response to any air‑space violations, and strengthens joint operations with allied forces.