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NATO Air Policing Missions
 
Latest update: December 2024
 
NATO Air Policing Missions / enhanced Forward Presence
 
NATO AP: Bulgaria NATO BAP: Estonia    NATO AP: Iceland
     
NATO BAP: Latvia NATO BAP: Lithuania NATO BAP: Poland
     
NATO AP: Romania Air Policing Mission graphics   Air Policing aircraft photo gallery
 
Comment:

BAP: Baltic Air Policing Mission. Lithuania hosts the BAP lead nation. Estonia hosts the augmenting nations. Poland hosts additional augmented nations.
 
NATO Air Policing Mission (APM) and enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) 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 5 June 2017, Montenegro joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) becoming the 29th member of the alliance. The 30th member became Northern Macedonia after the republic changed its name on March 29, 2020. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 also Finland and Sweden decided to apply for NATO membership. It took some diplomatic challenges before Finland joined the alliance on April 4, 2023. Sweden will join the alliance when Hungary and Turkey will ratify their application.

Air Policing, more known as Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), was conducted by each member state. Two NATO Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) are responsible for controlling NATO airspace. CAOC Torrejón, Spain for all countries south of the Alps and CAOC Uedem, Germany for all countries north and west of the Alps. Each CAOC alerts a member nation in case of an unidentified aircraft. That country then scrambles its QRA fighters to investigate.

When on March 29, 2004, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (known as and referred to as the Baltic nations) joined NATO all three countries air forces did not possess fighter aircraft. The alliance stood up its first policing mission which is known as Baltic Air Policing Mission (BAP).

Note: Air Policing at Iceland was conducted by United States Air Forces Europe with a squadron of F-15 Eagles based at Keflavik Air Base. When the squadron was deactivated Continental United States Air Force fighter squadrons deployed to the base. From 2008 on a regular basis other NATO members operate from the Icelandic base.

When other countries without fighter aircraft joined NATO Air Policing Missions were agreed. Please see below.

From February 2022, because of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, NATO commenced its enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) mission. From the start several NATO countries flew missions from their home bases. eFP missions are conducted from Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.

In Poland first Łask air base was used. The base, together with Powidz Air Base, was used by USAF Aviation Rotations. Fighters operating from Łask and transport aircraft from Powidz. Malbork was already used to augment the BAP mission and April 2023 also Powidz hosted eFP missions (note the base is also home to USAF exercise Copper Arrow).
 
NATO APM and eFP rotations by member nations
 
Country Accession date Bulgaria Estonia Iceland Latvia Lithuania Poland Romania Total APM
Albania 01-04-09 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Belgium 04-04-49 0 4 0 0 7 2 0 13
Bulgaria 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Canada 04-04-49 0 0 3 0 1 0 7 11
Croatia 01-04-09 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Czech Republic 12-03-99 0 1 3 0 3 0 0 7
Denmark 04-04-49 0 2 4 0 8 0 0 14
Estonia 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Finland 04-04-23 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
France 04-04-49 0 3 1 0 8 1 0 13
Germany 06-05-55 0 10 2 1 5 0 2 20
Greece 18-02-52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hungary 12-03-99 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3
Iceland 04-04-49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Italy 04-04-49 1 3 6 0 7 3 3 23
Latvia 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lithuania 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Luxembourg 04-04-49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Montenegro 05-06-17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Netherlands 04-04-49 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 6
North Macedonia 29-03-20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Norway 04-04-49 0 0 8 0 3 0 0 11
Poland 12-03-99 0 2 1 0 10 0 0 13
Portugal 04-04-49 0 0 2 0 7 1 1 11
Romania 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2
Slovakia 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Slovenia 29-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain 30-05-82 2 4 0 0 8 0 5 19
Sweden 07-03-24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Türkiye 18-02-52 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3
United Kingdom 04-04-49 0 4 2 0 3 0 5 14
United States 04-04-49 1 1 15 0 5 5 4 31
                   
Total   5 35 47 1 83 15 29 215
 
NATO Air Policing Missions 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
     
Netherlands F-35A Norway F-16AM Norway F-35A
     
Poland F-16C Poland Mig-29 Romania F-16AM
 
     
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 Kingdom Typhoon GR.4 United States F-15C United States F-15E
     
United States F-16 United States F-22A United States F-35A