France and Romania take over NATO air policing mission in the Baltics
Lithuania France and Romania have assumed responsibility for NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltic states, replacing Spain’s four-month deployment, Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT reports.
Four French Dassault Rafale fighter jets and six Romanian F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived at Šiauliai Air Base in northern Lithuania on Monday. A formal handover ceremony marked the transition, attended by Lithuania’s deputy defence minister, NATO officials, and local authorities.
The incoming French contingent—participating in its ninth Baltic air policing rotation—includes around 200 personnel, among them pilots, technicians, medical staff, and support teams. Romania’s air force, contributing to the mission for the fourth time, has deployed additional F-16s and supporting units.
During their deployment, Spanish forces engaged with the local Šiauliai community, hosting student visits to the base and supporting a care home for people with disabilities. The mission operates from air bases in Lithuania and Estonia, ensuring round-the-clock protection of Baltic airspace under NATO’s collective defence framework.