Türkiye has deployed five F-16 fighter jets to Estonia to take part in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, strengthening the alliance’s efforts to protect the airspace of the Baltic states.

The mission will run from August 1 to November 30, 2026. The five F-16s and Turkish personnel have been deployed to Ämari Air Base in Estonia, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense reports.

Türkiye will take over the NATO mission from Portugal, with the handover ceremony scheduled for Friday, July 31, the ministry said.

During the mission, Turkish units will contribute to the security of Baltic airspace as part of NATO’s coordinated air defense activities. The Turkish forces will also maintain a 24-hour readiness to respond to emergencies, supporting the security of NATO airspace.

Bloomberg reported in December that NATO had asked Türkiye to provide F-16 fighter jets for Baltic airspace patrols earlier than initially planned. The alliance was reportedly preparing to deploy the Turkish aircraft as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission in Estonia from August through December 2026.

Türkiye has previously contributed fighter jets to NATO’s regional air policing efforts. The Turkish Air Force patrolled Polish airspace from July 6 to September 15, 2021, and Romanian airspace from November 30, 2023, to April 2, 2024.