Germany Sends Eurofighter Jets to Latvia to Guard Elections Airspace

Germany's Air Force will deploy a small contingent of Eurofighter combat jets to Latvia to help secure its airspace during parliamentary elections scheduled for October 3. The German Defense Ministry confirmed the decision following a formal request from Latvia amid an escalating pattern of drone violations over Baltic states.

Why Latvia Requested Help

The Latvian government made the request after repeated drone incursions over Baltic airspace in recent weeks and months. NATO patrol missions have already responded: on September 15, NATO fighters for the first time shot down an unidentified drone over Lithuania that had entered from Belarus. An explosive device was found at the crash site and later neutralized by sappers.

Germany's Commitment

Berlin stated that Germany "reliably supports its allies who are particularly vulnerable on the Eastern flank" and will send the Eurofighter contingent from late September until early October. Lithuania also summoned Belarus's representative and delivered a protest note over the airspace violation.

Regional Security Context

The deployment underscores growing concerns about Russian hybrid tactics targeting NATO's eastern frontier. The pattern of drone incidents is seen as deliberate pressure on countries supporting Ukraine.