© EPA/ MICHAEL WALCZAK Turkey is also preparing to host the NATO summit in July.
Turkey intends to station fighter aircraft in Estonia and Romania as a component of NATO's intensified aerial domain defense operations, Reuters reveals.
The nation is scheduling a deployment of fighter planes to Estonia lasting four months, spanning from August to November 2026, followed by another deployment to Romania from December 2026 to March 2027, declared the Turkish Ministry of National Defense on Thursday, January 15.
Turkey has rendered noteworthy contributions to NATO aerial surveillance activities, purposed to safeguard allied airspace during peacetime, the ministry noted further.
Previously, the country undertook boosted air patrol assignments in Poland from July to September 2021 and in Romania from November 2023 to April 2024. The forthcoming deployment arises as NATO reinforces its air defenses after the alliance stated that Russia persistently infringed upon allied aerial territory. Turkey is also gearing up to convene a NATO conference in July.