Bundeswehr deployed four Eurofighter fighters to Latvia
The German armed forces - the Bundeswehr - sent four Eurofighter fighter jets to Latvia to help secure its airspace during the parliamentary elections to be held on October 3. They will be deployed in Latvia for just over a week.
Bundeswehr deploys four Eurofighter fighters to Latvia
According to DW, this was announced by the Latvian Ministry of Defense on September 24. The fighters, belonging to the 74th Tactical Air Force Wing based at the Neuburg an der Donau airbase in Germany, were relocated to the Lielvārde military airfield in central Latvia.
The aircraft will perform tasks in support of NATO's integrated air and missile defense system.
As the dpa agency writes, Riga requested assistance from its NATO allies due to repeated violations of the Baltic countries' airspace.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs expressed gratitude to Germany on the social network X for its readiness to help and close cooperation. He assessed this step as a practical expression of NATO solidarity and a shared commitment to protecting Latvian airspace and the safety of its population.
NATO has been guarding the airspace on its northeastern flank since Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined the alliance in 2004.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, unmanned aerial vehicles have repeatedly entered the airspace of the Baltic states. According to the report, in August, NATO fighters shot down a drone that violated Latvian airspace.
Starting from December 2026, Germany's Eurofighter aircraft will once again undertake the long-term task of monitoring the alliance's airspace from Estonian territory as part of NATO's Air Policing mission.
It is planned to deploy five Eurofighter fighters and their flight crews at the Ämari airbase in northwestern Estonia until March 2027.