Spain set to contribute fighter jets, tanker aircraft to NATO’s Eastern Sentinel mission

Spain is poised to support NATO’s recently announced Operation Eastern Sentinel with the deployment of two Eurofighter jets and an aerial refueling aircraft, marking a robust response to heightened security concerns on the alliance’s eastern flank following a significant Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace.

The move comes after at least 19 Russian drones crossed into Poland last week, constituting the largest breach of NATO airspace since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In response, the Atlantic Alliance has fast-tracked the development of a multilayered deterrence mechanism along its eastern borders, Caliber.Az reports, citing Spanish media.

On September 12, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez publicly committed to supporting NATO’s new security initiative.

According to government sources, Spain is prepared to send two combat aircraft and an A400M refueling aircraft, pending the outcome of ongoing consultations with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), US General Alexus Grynkewich. Allies have submitted their respective capabilities to NATO’s operational headquarters in Mons, Belgium, with final force compositions expected to be confirmed this week.

To expedite deployment, Madrid is considering dispatching two of the eight Eurofighters currently stationed at Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, where they are engaged in a Baltic air policing mission. These jets, from the 11th Wing based in Morón de la Frontera, have been operating in the region since late July and are scheduled to remain until November.

Recent weeks have seen a sharp increase in unidentified aerial activity over the Baltics—primarily Russian military aircraft operating without flight plans. Between September 9 and 13 alone, Spanish Eurofighters responded to seven alerts, compared to just three throughout August.

Although the air policing mission officially requires only two jets to remain on standby, others are available for training and NATO integration exercises, allowing Spain to divert aircraft to Poland without compromising current commitments. The Vilkas Detachment, supporting Spain’s Baltic mission, includes 200 military personnel and a Zaragoza-based A400M tanker from the 31st Wing.

Spain’s commitment adds to a growing multinational force under Operation Eastern Sentinel. Other contributors include France (three Rafale jets), Germany (four Eurofighters), Denmark (a missile frigate and two F-16s), and the United Kingdom (Typhoon fighters).

However, air assets will serve as just one layer of the operation’s architecture. According to General Grynkewich, the force will be “flexible and agile,” with combat aircraft acting only if anti-drone systems and ground-based artillery fail to neutralize aerial threats.

By Vafa Guliyeva