German Air Force switching units in Estonia airspace patrols
New German Air Force (Luftwaffe) planes are due to take over NATO Baltic air policing duties in Estonia from those of their compatriots in early January.
The new unit, drawn from Tactical Air Force Wing 71 ''Richthofen''currently based at Wittmund, Germany, will comprise five Eurofighter Typhoons to replace the five presently at the Ämari air base, making this the sixth time German Air Force planes have patrolled Estonian airspace on NATO duties.
NATO air policing is carried out collectively for those member states, like Estonia, which lack sufficient air policing capacity of their own. In addition to Ämari, NATO Baltic air patrols fly from Šiauliai, Lithuania.
The five Typhoons being replaced are usually based at Neuburg in Bavaria.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
