Spain conducts first A400M tanker air policing with Eurofighter jets along NATO’s eastern flank
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Spain completed its first joint tanker-fighter mission under NATO’s Eastern Sentry, marking a milestone in deploying self-sustained air assets for eastern flank defense.
On 3 November 2025, Spain carried out its first real-world air-policing activation, pairing a national tanker with Spanish fighters under Operation Eastern Sentry, according to Spain’s Joint Defence Staff (EMAD). An A400M tanker (TK.23) from Wing 31 supported two Eurofighter Typhoons from Wing 11, marking the first A-Scramble in this deployment in which a Spanish tanker and Spanish fighters launched together to protect NATO airspace on the Alliance’s eastern flank.
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Spain’s A400M tanker and Eurofighters flew their first joint NATO air policing mission under Eastern Sentry (Picture Source: Spanish MoD)
Over a five-hour sortie, the A400M delivered on-station refueling that extended the fighters’ time aloft and preserved continuous coverage over the assigned area. Maintenance and ground crews enabled rapid generation and recovery of the tanker under high operational demand, demonstrating the value of organic air-to-air refueling to sustain quick reaction alert tasking without breaking the combat air patrol cycle.
Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado, commanding officer of the DAT “Vilkas” detachment, underscored that the mission reflects the integration of Spanish assets and personnel within Allied command-and-control, contributing directly to the defense of NATO airspace. In practical terms, tanker support increases the intercept window, reduces diversion risk to distant recovery bases, and aligns with NATO’s emphasis on responsive, layered air defense effects under Eastern Sentry.
Spain’s DAT “Vilkas” is operating from Šiauliai Air Base between August and November 2025. The detachment fields nearly 200 airmen drawn from up to 15 units, eight Eurofighter Typhoons from Wing 11 (Morón de la Frontera) and one A400M tanker from Wing 31 (Zaragoza), providing both the shooting element and the persistence enabler for the mission set.
Eastern Sentry itself was launched on September 12, 2025, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace, and it concentrates flexible, integrated air and maritime assets to deter and respond to incursions along NATO’s eastern flank. The framework complements enduring NATO Air Policing by adding surge capacity, multi-domain coordination and rapid, localized reinforcement with fighter aircraft, AWACS, and other enablers.
The Lithuanian operating context has grown more demanding, with Vilnius authorizing its armed forces to shoot down unlawful drones in national airspace, an indicator of the evolving threat that air-policing detachments must help manage daily in coordination with national authorities and NATO command networks. Against that backdrop, the Spanish detachment has also engaged host-nation institutions and Allied leadership during the rotation, reflecting the diplomatic and community dimensions of forward presence.
Spain’s first A-Scramble pairing of the A400M with Eurofighters under Eastern Sentry highlights a concrete gain in persistence and responsiveness for NATO air defense. By combining fighters with an organic tanker, Madrid strengthens the Alliance’s ability to maintain continuous coverage, extend intercept reach and uphold the integrity of Allied airspace on the eastern flank.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Spain completed its first joint tanker-fighter mission under NATO’s Eastern Sentry, marking a milestone in deploying self-sustained air assets for eastern flank defense.
On 3 November 2025, Spain carried out its first real-world air-policing activation, pairing a national tanker with Spanish fighters under Operation Eastern Sentry, according to Spain’s Joint Defence Staff (EMAD). An A400M tanker (TK.23) from Wing 31 supported two Eurofighter Typhoons from Wing 11, marking the first A-Scramble in this deployment in which a Spanish tanker and Spanish fighters launched together to protect NATO airspace on the Alliance’s eastern flank.
Spain’s A400M tanker and Eurofighters flew their first joint NATO air policing mission under Eastern Sentry (Picture Source: Spanish MoD)
Over a five-hour sortie, the A400M delivered on-station refueling that extended the fighters’ time aloft and preserved continuous coverage over the assigned area. Maintenance and ground crews enabled rapid generation and recovery of the tanker under high operational demand, demonstrating the value of organic air-to-air refueling to sustain quick reaction alert tasking without breaking the combat air patrol cycle.
Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado, commanding officer of the DAT “Vilkas” detachment, underscored that the mission reflects the integration of Spanish assets and personnel within Allied command-and-control, contributing directly to the defense of NATO airspace. In practical terms, tanker support increases the intercept window, reduces diversion risk to distant recovery bases, and aligns with NATO’s emphasis on responsive, layered air defense effects under Eastern Sentry.
Spain’s DAT “Vilkas” is operating from Šiauliai Air Base between August and November 2025. The detachment fields nearly 200 airmen drawn from up to 15 units, eight Eurofighter Typhoons from Wing 11 (Morón de la Frontera) and one A400M tanker from Wing 31 (Zaragoza), providing both the shooting element and the persistence enabler for the mission set.
Eastern Sentry itself was launched on September 12, 2025, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace, and it concentrates flexible, integrated air and maritime assets to deter and respond to incursions along NATO’s eastern flank. The framework complements enduring NATO Air Policing by adding surge capacity, multi-domain coordination and rapid, localized reinforcement with fighter aircraft, AWACS, and other enablers.
The Lithuanian operating context has grown more demanding, with Vilnius authorizing its armed forces to shoot down unlawful drones in national airspace, an indicator of the evolving threat that air-policing detachments must help manage daily in coordination with national authorities and NATO command networks. Against that backdrop, the Spanish detachment has also engaged host-nation institutions and Allied leadership during the rotation, reflecting the diplomatic and community dimensions of forward presence.
Spain’s first A-Scramble pairing of the A400M with Eurofighters under Eastern Sentry highlights a concrete gain in persistence and responsiveness for NATO air defense. By combining fighters with an organic tanker, Madrid strengthens the Alliance’s ability to maintain continuous coverage, extend intercept reach and uphold the integrity of Allied airspace on the eastern flank.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
