NATO aircraft will make low-altitude patrols over Estonia
The air forces of NATO countries based in Estonia at the Amari air base will conduct low altitude flights over the country’s territory this week. The press service of the Estonian Defense Forces said that the German Air Force is currently based at Amari and that they took over the mission of protecting the Baltic State airspace on the 31st of August.
German Air Force Eurofighter aircraft will fly in pairs at altitudes not lower than 500 feet (152 meters) and away from the settlements during the first half of the day, the press-service said. The flights are carried out in specially designated areas on the basis of agreements between NATO countries. Such zones for low-altitude flights are allocated by the governments of all Baltic countries.
NATO aircraft have been in rotation for active duty in Baltic territory since March 2004. At the summit in Chicago in 2012, the mission time was extended indefinitely.
"The presence of NATO aircraft in the Baltic countries is part of the concept of 'smart defense,' the goal of which is to save resources of the states of the Alliance for a joint contribution to a variety of projects," the press service of the Estonian Defense Forces stated.