Minister of National Defence visits Portuguese troops deployed in Estonia

Minister of National Defence Nuno Melo visited the Portuguese Air Force detachment at Ämari Air Base in Estonia, where Portuguese military personnel are deployed as part of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing 2026 mission. The mission contributes to the surveillance and protection of Allied airspace in the Baltic region.

During the visit, Nuno Melo thanked the Portuguese service personnel for their commitment and reaffirmed Portugal's dedication to the Atlantic Alliance.

"The contribution of the Portuguese Air Force" deserves recognition, the Minister said, adding that "Portugal will always stand by its Allies."

Nuno Melo accompanied the activities of the Portuguese National Detachment and attended the mission's transfer of command ceremony.

The Minister also stressed that "the world is living through difficult times" and highlighted the operational demands of the mission, noting that the Portuguese detachment has intercepted "numerous aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles", which justifies "the recognition of this effort, which is also a collective effort".

This was Portugal's ninth participation in NATO's Baltic Air Policing missions. During the deployment, Portuguese military personnel identified Russian military aircraft operating close to Allied airspace as part of NATO's surveillance and response activities.