One of NATO’s leading principles is common commitment and mutual co-operation among sovereign states. NATO air policing is an example of how NATO provides security to its members. It safeguards the integrity of the sovereign airspace of the Alliance members in peacetime.
When the Baltic States joined NATO in March 2004, the 24/7 task of policing the airspace of the Baltic States was conducted only from Lithuania’s Air Force Base at Šiauliai International Airport. Since May 2014, because of the changed security situation in Europe, the Ämari Air Base in Estonia is also involved in policing the airspace of the Baltic States.
BAP missions in Ämari Air Base:
| Date | Air Force | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Mar 2026 | Italian Air Force | F-35/Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 Apr 2025 – 31 Jul 2025 | Portuguese Air Force | F-16 |
| 1 Dec 2024 – 31 Mar 2025 | Royal Netherlands Air Force | F-35 |
| 31 Mar 2024 – 30 Nov 2024 | German Air Force (Ämari runway was under repair and air defense was provided from the Lielvarde airbase in Latvia) | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 Dec 2023 – 31 Mar 2024 | Polish Air Force | F-16 |
| 31 Jul 2023 – 30 Nov 2023 | Spanish Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 Mar 2023 – 31 Jul 2023 | Royal Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 Aug 2022 – 28 Feb 2023 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 3 Oct 2022 – 4 Nov 2022 | Belgian Air Component | F-16 |
| 25 Aug 2022 – 12 Sep 2022 | Spanish Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 Dec 2021 – 31 Mar 2022 | Belgian Air Component | F-16 |
| 15 Sep 2021 – 30 Nov 2021 | Italian Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 3 May 2021 – 15 Sep 2021 | Italian Air Force | F-35A Lightning II |
| 22 Jan 2021 – 3 May 2021 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 31 Aug 2020 – 22 Jan 2021 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 1 May 2020 – 31 Aug 2020 | French Air Force | Mirage 2000-5 |
| 3 Jan 2020 – 1 May 2020 | Polish Air Force | F-16 |
| 2 Sep 2019 – 3 Jan 2020 | Czech Air Force | JAS-39 Gripen |
| 3 May 2019 – 2 Sep 2019 | Royal Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 3 Jan 2019 – 3 May 2019 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 30 Aug 2018 – 3 Jan 2019 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 3 May 2018 – 30 Aug 2018 | French Air Force | Mirage 2000-5 |
| 10 Jan 2018 – 3 May 2018 | Italian Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 30 Aug 2017 – 10 Jan 2018 | Belgian Air Component | F-16 |
| 2 May 2017 – 30 Aug 2017 | Spanish Air Force | F-18 Hornet |
| 5 Jan 2017 – 2 May 2017 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 31 Aug 2016 – 5 Jan 2017 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 28 Apr 2016 – 31 Aug 2016 | Royal Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 7 Jan 2016 – 28 Apr 2016 | Belgian Air Component | F-16 |
| 25 Aug 2015 – 7 Jan 2016 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 5 May 2015 – 25 Aug 2015 | Royal Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 2 Jan 2015 – 5 May 2015 | Spanish Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 29 Aug 2014 – 2 Jan 2015 | German Air Force | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| 30 Apr 2014 – 29 Aug 2014 | Danish Royal Air Force | F-16 |
