Norwegian F-35s Deploy to Estonia

Six RNoAF F-35A jets arrived in Estonia to bolster NATO air policing in the Baltics.

On November 13, 2025 NATO Air Command confirmed that six F-35A Lightning II fighters from the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) deployed to Ämari Air Base in Estonia to support Baltic air policing missions. Norwegian F-35s will operate alongside other alliance assets as tensions near NATO airspace have risen because of increased Russian military activity in the region.

Why Norwegian F-35s matter for Baltic air policing

The F-35A is a fifth-generation, stealthy multirole fighter that gives NATO flexible air policing options: advanced sensors, improved situational awareness, and interoperability with allied networks. The deployment underlines NATO’s routine practice of rotating allied fighters into the Baltics to reassure Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and to maintain continuous surveillance of the alliance’s eastern flank.

Ämari Air Base, located near Tallinn, regularly hosts NATO air policing rotations and exercises. This Norwegian contingent will join other national detachments tasked with identifying, monitoring, and — if necessary — intercepting aircraft that approach or enter NATO’s declared airspace. NATO’s move follows a pattern of stepped-up patrols as member states adapt to a more active Russian military posture in nearby international airspace.

Deployment: six F-35A Lightning II fighters from the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF)
Location: Ämari Air Base, Estonia
Date announced: November 13, 2025
Mission: NATO Baltic air policing and regional deterrence

The presence of Norwegian F-35s is both operational and symbolic: operational because of the jets’ sensor fusion and strike-flexibility; symbolic because rotations demonstrate allied burden-sharing and quick reinforcement of NATO’s eastern members. NATO Air Command has not released detailed sortie schedules or specific unit designations, which is standard practice for active air policing deployments.

Expect routine patrols, combined training with Estonian air controllers, and interoperability checks with other NATO platforms while the Norwegian jets are based at Ämari. The rotation reflects the alliance’s broader approach to maintaining readiness and ensuring secure Baltic airspace amid evolving regional dynamics.