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Spanish Air and Space Force deployed Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania

NATO Allied Air Command

Jul 30 2025

RAMSTEIN, Germany -- The Spanish Air and Space Force has deployed eight Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, in support of NATO's Baltic air policing mission. The detachment, alongside the Hungarian fighter jets, will relieve the Romanian and Polish air policing rotations, bolstering the Alliance's commitment to collective defence and regional security.

Spanish Typhoons arrived under NATO's integrated Air Policing framework, on quick reaction alert (QRA). This deployment marks the ninth rotation for Spain in Lithuania, in addition to NATO deployments in Estonia and Romania, underscoring Spain's steadfast commitment to NATO Air Policing. Simultaneously, the Spanish Air and Space Force has also deployed - for the first time - six EF/A-18M Hornet fighter jets to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, in support of NATO's air policing mission preserving the Integrity of NATO airspace.

"We are fully committed to NATO's Air Policing mission" said LtCol Francisco Holgado del Águila "We are pleased to be back in Lithuania and together with our Hungarian colleagues, we stand ready to secure the skies and ensure a credible deterrence posture" he added.

The detachment comprises eight EF2000 fighters, tactical support personnel, and logistical assets. They will conduct routine QRA intercepts, airspace surveillance and identification flights, as well as training sorties with multinational partners.
Supporting the Spanish contingent are Hungarian Air Force JAS 39 Gripen fighters. The deployment of two detachments at Šiauliai allows for more flexible operational planning of NATO Air Policing in the region.
This rotation replaces the previous Romanian and Polish fighter detachments, maintaining the uninterrupted air policing presence. To date, 17 Allies have participated in NATO's Air Policing mission, deploying interceptor capabilities to safeguard the airspace over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

BAP is a regional form of NATO's peacetime Air Policing mission, demonstrating the ability of the Alliance to share and pool existing capabilities. The Spanish Eurofighter detachment strengthens the collective shield and reinforces the message that NATO airspace will always be defended.

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office