During their deployment, the Italian fifth-generation fighters successfully carried out around 10 A-scramble, over 150 sorties and 300 flying hours. These achievements underscored NATO’s quick-reaction capability in a critical area of its airspace.
The Task Force’s commitment extended beyond the F-35s, employing a multi-domain approach with the Gulfstream G-550 CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft for air surveillance, reconnaissance, and control. The Sol-Air Moyenne Portée Terrestre (SAMP/T) missile system also contributed to defence against aerial and missile threats, and both systems will remain in theatre to continue safeguarding the Eastern Flank while supporting Eastern Sentry.
Eastern Sentry is a vigilance activity integrating air and ground-based defences into a coherent posture, while expanding situational awareness from the High North to the Black Sea. The activity is designed to be “enduring, flexible and adaptive,” ensuring NATO’s readiness to respond rapidly to evolving challenges.
The mission at Ämari Air Base will now continue with the deployment of the Italian Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoons. This maintains the robust capabilities of NATO’s Air Policing mission and confirms Italy’s steadfast commitment to collective security within the Atlantic Alliance, ensuring uninterrupted air security over the Baltic skies.
