By Bosphorus News Defense Desk
Turkish F-16 fighter jets began NATO Enhanced Air Policing duties in Estonia on August 1 after Türkiye's 181st Jet Squadron took over the mission from the Portuguese Air Force at Ämari Air Base.
The Turkish unit arrived at Ämari on July 29 and carried out familiarization and preparation flights over the following two days, according to Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense. The handover became operational at 9 a.m. on August 1.
During the deployment, the squadron will maintain 24-hour quick reaction alert duties and conduct joint activities with NATO and Estonian Air Force units.
Estonia's Defense Forces confirmed that Portugal transferred responsibility for the Ämari mission to Türkiye on July 31. Portuguese F-16s had operated from the base between April 1 and July 31 as part of NATO's continuing air policing presence over the Baltic states.
The Turkish deployment forms the 72nd rotation of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission. The rotation number does not refer to the configuration of the aircraft, and neither Türkiye nor Estonia identified the F-16 variant assigned to the mission.
NATO has protected the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania since the three countries joined the alliance in 2004. Allies without their own air policing capability host rotating fighter detachments, generally for periods of about four months.
Ämari has served as one of the mission's principal operating bases since 2014, complementing NATO aircraft stationed at Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania.
The number of Turkish aircraft and personnel deployed to Estonia, as well as the formal end date of the rotation, were not disclosed in the available official statements.
Sources: Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense, Estonian Defense Forces, NATO, Bosphorus News review and reporting.