What Happened
Berlin Bolsters Baltic Air Defense Amid Drone Incursions
Germany will deploy four Eurofighter jets to Lielvārde Air Base in central Latvia to help protect the country’s airspace during its parliamentary election on October 3, 2026. The deployment is in response to repeated drone violations over the Baltic states and follows NATO’s enhanced Air Policing North initiative. The German Air Force will also return to the region for a longer rotation in Estonia from December 2026 to March 2027. The move comes as drone incursions have already shaped Latvian politics ahead of the vote, according to AeroTime.