The German Air Force detachment in Estonia have handed over the command responsibility for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission in Estonia to the Royal Air Force.
The handover ceremony took place at Amari Air Base on the anniversary of NATO’s formation and the day of Finland’s accession to the Alliance.
The two detachments will continue to operate as an integrated force to secure the Baltic skies and bolster security in the region for the remainder of April, before the German Air Force depart after five months of service in Estonia. The Royal Air Force’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing will then continue the NATO mission until August.
What a privilege it is for the UK to work alongside Germany to deliver NATO’s first Combined Air Policing Mission.
This combined leadership paves the way for future interoperability across a broad range of Allies and NATO Partners. We live in uncertain times, but 74 years after the formation of NATO, the skies over the Baltics are in safe hands. NATO has also been strengthened by Finland joining the Alliance today, a significant milestone.
Air Vice-Marshal Robinson
Air Officer Commanding 11 Group RAF
The handover ceremony was attended by representatives from NATO, Estonia, Germany, and the United Kingdom, formally marking the end of the German lead in the Air Policing mission and the beginning of the British one.
I want to congratulate the German detachment on the successful execution of their watch over the Baltic airspace; at the same time, I welcome the British detachment, especially as the new lead nation for the combined air policing.
What we’ve seen here is the culmination of a long process of enhancing that level of integration, and I congratulate both detachments on this great achievement, the Estonian Armed Forces, our hosts here at Ämari, have also been a role model when it comes to integration.
Brigadier General Ralf Raddatz
Deputy Commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre, Germany
Since 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and NATO responded with the Assurance Measures, Ämari has hosted a continuous series of Allied fighter detachments. With today’s ceremony, we deliver an important message: the mission continues. This is especially poignant because we also celebrate today, NATO Day, the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949.
Brigadier General Ralf Raddatz
Deputy Commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre, Germany
The two detachments will undertake Combined Baltic Air Policing for eight weeks, with joint Quick Reaction Alert scrambles that demonstrate close integration at the tactical level. During March, GAF and RAF Typhoons launched three times to intercept Russian military aircraft flying close to NATO airspace.
