RAMSTEIN, Germany – The French Air and Space Force has concluded its NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) deployment at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, after completing two consecutive rotations in support of safeguarding NATO airspace over the Baltic region.
We come out of this mission stronger, alongside our Allied partners
During the four-month deployment, French Rafale fighter aircraft and personnel maintained continuous Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), ensuring NATO’s ability to respond rapidly to potential airspace violations. Operating as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission under enhanced Vigilance Activity (eVA) Eastern Sentry, the detachment reinforced the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture while working closely with Baltic nations and Allied Air Forces.
French Air and Space Force aircraft fly in formation with other Allied aircraft during their NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) deployment. During the four-month deployment, French Rafale fighter aircraft and personnel maintained continuous Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), responding rapidly to potential airspace violations. Photo courtesy of the French Air and Space Force. 
French Rafale fighter aircraft are staged alongside other Allied aircraft on the runway at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, during their NATO Baltic Air Policing four-month deployment. The French Air and Space force completed two consecutive rotations in support of safeguarding NATO airspace over the Baltics. Photo courtesy of the French Air and Space Force. 
A French Rafale pilot prepares to manoeuvre a Rafale at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania. During their deployment, the French Air and Space Force flew more than 540 flying hours while responding to almost 40 Alpha Scrambles and conducting nearly 70 training Scrambles. Photo courtesy of the French Air and Space Force. Across the deployment, the French Air and Space Force flew more than 540 flying hours while responding to almost 40 Alpha Scrambles and conducting nearly 70 training Scrambles. One major milestone during the deployment was when a French Rafale destroyed a drone over Latvia during an operational mission, marking the first operational employment of the MICA missile by the French Air and Space Force in the Baltic region.
“This mission has been a milestone for the BAP Block 71 detachment,” said a French Detachment spokesperson, whose name was withheld at the discretion of France. “Operationally, the MICA missile is deployed by the French Air and Space Force all over the world but using it here for the first time in the Baltic states, to destroy a drone over Latvia, was a real tactical success for NATO, France and the Baltic states.”
The deployment featured a broad programme of multinational training with Allied fighter detachments, including Romanian F-16s, Polish MiG-29s and Agile Combat Employment (ACE) activities in Sweden. French aircrews also conducted joint ground attack and live air-to-ground gunnery training with Belgian, German and Lithuanian forces, while Rafale C crews carried out joint counter-uncrewed aerial systems (c-UAS) missions with Estonian and Lithuanian partners to detect and engage training drones. Additional training included Close Air Support (CAS), Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air combat, familiarization flights and multinational training Scrambles with Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian, Romanian, Polish, German and Canadian forces.
“We come out of this mission stronger, alongside our Allied partners,” the French detachment spokesperson added. “Given the current threat around the world, we were able to work with our Allies to adapt our training accordingly, especially in counter-UAS.
Ensuring the uninterrupted protection of NATO airspace, the French Air and Space Force detachment will now hand over responsibilities to the incoming Italian Air Force Detachment, who will conduct Air Defence mission from Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania over the Baltics. This deployment marks a shift from NATO’s Air Policing mission to a broader Air Defence role, aimed at providing a more flexible approach across the alliance’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) framework within NATO’s area of responsibility.