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NATO Air Policing Missions
 
Latest update: April 2022
 
Baltic Air Policing Mission (BAP)
 
NATO BAP: Lithuania (Šiauliai) NATO BAP: Estonia (Ämari) NATO BAP: Poland (Łask, Malbork)
 
Comment:

Lithuania hosts the BAP lead nation; Estonia hosts the augmenting nations. Poland hosted additional augmented nations from April 2014 until August 2015 and in 2019.
 
Eastern European Air Policing Mission
 
NATO AP: Bulgaria NATO AP: Romania
 
Iceland Air Policing Mission
 
  NATO AP: Iceland
 
NATO Air Policing Mission rotations
 
Twelve countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. On June 5, 2017 Montenegro joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) becoming the 29th member of the alliance.

With the joining of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, known as the Baltic nations, on May 29, 2004 NATO stood up its first air policing mission (APM). The APM assists NATO members without the means to provide their own policing mission (Quick Reaction Alert - QRA). Scrambles are initiated by the responsible Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC). Currently the following air policing missions are conducted by NATO.
 
Country Lithuania Estonia Poland Total Iceland Bulgaria Romania Total Total APM
                   
Albania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Belgium 6 3 2 11 0 0 0 0 11
Bulgaria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Canada 1 0 0 1 3 0 6 6 10
Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Czech Republic 3 1 0 4 3 0 0 0 7
Denmark 8 2 0 10 3 0 0 0 13
Estonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
France 5 3 1 9 1 0 0 0 10
Germany 5 8 0 13 2 0 1 1 16
Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hungary 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Italy 4 3 0 7 5 1 2 3 15
Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lithuania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Luxembourg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Montenegro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Netherlands 2 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 4
North Macedonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Norway 3 0 0 3 6 0 0 0 9
Poland 9 1 0 10 1 0 0 0 11
Portugal 5 0 1 6 2 0 1 1 9
Romania 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain 7 2 0 9 0 1 1 2 11
Turkey 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2
United Kingdom 3 3 0 6 1 0 4 4 11
United States 5 1 2 8 13 1 2 3 24
                   
Total 70 27 8 105 40 4 17 21 166
 
NATO Air Policing Mission graphic
 
Air Policing Mission graphics 
 
 
NATO Air Policing other European countries
 
Air Policing Mission Albania:

Albania joined NATO in 2009 and an air policing arrangement like Slovenia (see below) was established. Operating from their home bases both the Greek and Italian Air Forces are responsible to secure the Albanian air space.

Baltic Air Policing (BAP) - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania:

Belgium was the first NATO country to provide aircraft for the BAP mission, from March 27, 2004 until July 1, 2004 with its Lockheed Martin F-16AM's.

Air Policing Mission BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) Luxembourg):

Until December 31, 2016 the air space of Luxembourg was protected by the Belgian Air Component (BAC). From January 1, 2017 the BAC and Royal Netherlands Air Force rotate their QRA covering the air space of all three BENELUX countries.
Air Policing Mission Iceland:
Until March 1, 1995 the United States Air Forces Europe 57th Fighter Squadron (prior 57th fighter Interceptor Squadron) was based at Keflavik Air Base. The squadron provided the air defense of Iceland. After its deactivation the task was rotated between other USAF fighter squadrons which ended in 2006. NATO took over the air policing mission with the first rotation conducted by the French Air Force with four Mirage 2000s in 2008
Air Policing Mission Montenegro:

Montenegro joined NATO in 2017. Its Air Force doesn't possess fighter aircraft, its Soko G-4 Super Galeb were transferred to the Serbian Air Force or sold on the civilian market. From June 5, 2018 the Greek and Italian Air Forces assumed the Montenegro Air Policing mission. NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre at Torrejon, Spain will initiate the launch of either the Greek or Italian aircraft.

Air Policing Mission Republic of North Macedonia:

The Republic of North Macedonia became a member of the NATO alliance on March 29, 2020. During a ceremony held in its capital Skopje on December 9, 2021 North Macedonia was included into the NATO Air Policing System. The Greek Air Force assumed responsibilty for the APM with their aircraft operating from their home bases.

Air Policing Mission Slovenia:

From 2004 the Italian Air Force commenced with the air policing mission for Slovenia. On January 17, 2014 the Hungarian and Slovenian defence ministers signed an agreement resulting in the Hungarian Air Force joining their Italian colleagues. The CAOC decides which countries aircraft are scrambled.
Hungary provides the air policing task with its Saab JAS-39C based at Kecskemét (59th Tactical Fighter Wing). The Italian Air Force as assigned its EF-2000's.
 
Photo gallery
 
   
Belgian F-16AM Canada CF-188 Czech republic JAS-39C
     
     
Denmark F-16AM France Mirage 2000-5F France Mirage F.1CR
     
     
Germany EF-2000 Germany F-4F Hungary JAS-39C
     
Italy F-35 Italy EF-2000 Netherlands F-16AM
     
Norway F-16AM Norway F-35A Poland F-16C
     
Poland Mig-29 Romania Mig-21 / Lancer Spain EF-2000
     
Spain Mirage F.1M Turkey F-16C United Kingdom Tornado F.3
     
United Kingdom Tornado GR.4 United States F-15 United States F-16