NATO Asks Turkey for Air Policing Warplanes Ahead of Schedule

NATO has asked Turkey to contribute F-16 fighters to the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing mission in 2026, several months earlier than its scheduled rotation.

The proposed four-month rotation in Estonia from August to December comes as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization steps up defenses after Russian violations of its airspace, according to people familiar with the matter. Turkey was already set to deploy warplanes in Romania from December 2026 through March 2027, the people said.