The Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fighter jets have recently returned to Estonia, resuming their duty of patrolling the airspace on NATO’s Eastern border.
This comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This mission, termed ‘Operation Azotize’, initiated in March 2023, marks the second deployment of Typhoons to Eastern Europe following the Russian invasion last year. A similar deployment to Romania, referred to as ‘Operation Biloxi’, took place in March 2022 to cover the southern region of NATO’s Eastern border.
“The 2022 Typhoon detachment to Romania contributed to 24/7 cover of the region’s airspace, but also took part in various exercises,” a press release detailed.
This includes noteworthy multinational drills such as a tank exercise involving 250 armoured vehicles, a US-led training endeavour that spanned across Eastern Europe, including 17 nations. RAF Typhoons also ventured to Turkey to test pilot skills alongside Turkish, Pakistani, Jordanian, and Azerbaijani air forces.
Both Operation Azotize and Operation Biloxi were part of a broader NATO commitment to ensure air policing across its Eastern flank, planned long before Russia’s incursion.
The report also highlighted the participation of “9000 military personnel from 17 NATO and partner countries in Exercise Swift Response 2022.” These international troops trained together across a range of locales, from the Arctic and Baltic States to the Balkans.
RAF Typhoons made their way to North Macedonia, where they provided aid to ground forces in thwarting a simulated enemy. “Concurrently, RAF C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft delivered British and Italian paratroopers using high altitude low opening (HALO) and traditional parachute jumps, while Chinook helicopters landed troops and heavy weaponry,” the release added.
