Italian Air Force F-35As dispatched from Estonia to intercept Russian aircraft
Italian Air Force F-35A fighter jets were dispatched to intercept Russian aircraft in its first Baltic Air Policing mission since taking over safeguarding NATO airspace from the Romanian Air Force.
NATO Air Command confirmed that F-35s from the Italian Air Force’s 32nd Wing detachment at Ämari Air Base in Estonia were scrambled on August 13, 2025, to respond in defense of the Baltic countries’ airspace.
NATO Air Command published a photo of an Italian Air Force F-35 flying next to a Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jet as part of a mission update. A separate photo of a Russian Su-24 tactical bomber was also shared.
Commenting on events, the Italian Air Force said: “The unquestionable professionalism of our Forze Armate – in this case, the Air Force – has made it possible to neutralize a potential risk to the Alliance, thanks to the constant commitment to patrolling NATO skies, contributing to collective security and the safeguarding of Euro-Atlantic borders.”
It added: “The security of Italy and the Alliance stems from the joint effort of Difesa, both nationally and internationally. We must never lower our guard: deterrence is the most effective way to defend peace and freedom.”
For the first time two F-35s scramble from in response to aircraft under NATO’s Air Policing missionThe Task Force Air – 32nd Wing detachment at Ämari Air Base are on Quick Reaction Alert 24/7 demonstrating the Alliance’s commitment to safeguarding NATO airspace pic.twitter.com/pnM0CRowo1— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) August 13, 2025 At the end of July 2025, following a four-month deployment in Estonia, the Portuguese Air Force concluded its Baltic Air Policing mission, handing over command to the Italians.
Before redevelopment to Estonia, the Italian Air Force Eurofighter detachment concluded its enhanced Air policing mission in Romania.
Since 2004, NATO has maintained the security of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian airspace through a continuous rotation of allied fighter detachments called the Baltic Air Policing mission.
The detachments are on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), providing security over NATO skies 24/7, 365 days a year.
In other recent NATO deployments, the Spanish Air and Space Force deployed six EF/A-18M Hornet fighter jets to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, for the first time.
Spanish and Hungarian contingents took over NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission in Lithuania from the Romanian Air Force.
The German Air Force deployed to Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, with five Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft while the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) officially concluded its enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission in Malbork, Poland.
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Italian Air Force F-35A fighter jets were dispatched to intercept Russian aircraft in its first Baltic Air Policing…
The post Italian Air Force F-35As dispatched from Estonia to intercept Russian aircraft appeared first on AeroTime.
