Germany to send Eurofighters to Latvia during elections due to drone threat

Germany will deploy four Eurofighter jets to Latvia to bolster airspace protection during the October 3 parliamentary elections. Riga requested additional support from NATO allies after a series of drone incidents over the Baltic states.

This was announced by the German Ministry of Defense. The fighters will be sent from Tactical Air Wing 74 in Neuburg an der Donau to Lielvārde Air Base in central Latvia.

The deployment is planned from late September to early October and will last about a week. Along with the four Eurofighters, several dozen German Air Force personnel will be sent to Latvia, further reinforced by specialists from other Bundeswehr units.

The German defense ministry explained that Latvia requested allied support “against the backdrop of repeated drone airspace violations over the Baltic states in recent weeks and months.” The purpose of the additional deployment is to ensure airspace security during the parliamentary elections.

In 2026, Latvia has already experienced several such incidents. On June 8, NATO Baltic Air Policing fighters shot down a foreign drone over Latgale. Latvian military officials said the aircraft entered the country's airspace as a result of Russian electronic warfare measures.

In August, allied fighters also destroyed a drone that entered Latvian airspace. The country's Ministry of Defense warned that similar episodes could recur as long as Russia's war against Ukraine continues.

The deployment of four German Eurofighters will be a temporary reinforcement of the current Baltic air defense system. NATO has ensured airspace patrols over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since their accession to the Alliance in 2004, as the three countries do not possess their own fighters necessary for continuous air policing.

Germany regularly participates in this mission. In 2024, German Eurofighters were already based at Lielvārde: during their rotation they logged more than 1,200 flight hours and were scrambled about 50 times to intercept and identify aerial targets.

After the short-term election mission, the German Air Force will return to the region for a longer period. From December 2026 to March 2027, Germany plans to station five Eurofighters and about 120 military personnel at Ämari Air Base in Estonia as part of the next NATO air policing rotation.

Based on materials from: Politico, Bundeswehr, Ministry of Defense of Latvia