Spanish aircraft join NATO's “Eastern Sentry” operation

•  From Šiauliai Air Base, the Air and Space Force's “Vilkas” detachment provides Spanish support to increase airspace protection on the Alliance's eastern flank.

The Air Force and Space Force's Tactical Air Detachment (DAT) “Vilkas” is already participating in Operation Eastern Sentry. Spain's contribution consists of two Eurofighter aircraft —C.16 in their Spanish military designation— from Wing 11 (Morón, Seville) and one A400M tanker aircraft (TK.23) from Wing 31 (Zaragoza), which are providing support from the Šiauliai air base, where the aircraft assigned to reinforce the Baltic air police (enhance Air Policing/eAP-69) are currently located.

Operation Eastern Sentry

On 12 September, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich announced the launch of Operation Eastern Sentry in response to the violation of allied airspace by Russian drones two days earlier. According to General Grynkewich, ‘Operation Eastern Sentry will provide even more focused and flexible deterrence and defence, where and when necessary, to protect our population and deter further reckless and dangerous acts such as those that occurred earlier this week.’

On the same day, 12th, Spain announced its intention to participate in the new operation, in solidarity with our allies, and this has now materialised with the support of two C.16 fighter jets assigned to the “Vilkas” detachment, through a quick reaction alert (QRA) system, and the Tk23 aircraft for in-flight refuelling.

DAT ‘Vilkas’: Spain’s contribution to air protection on the eastern flank

DAT “Vilkas” —which means “wolf” in Lithuanian— is a tactical air detachment of the Air and Space Force that contributes to enhanced air policing tasks on NATO's eastern flank, also providing national air assets to Operation Eastern Sentinel. This detachment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado del Aguila, has been operating since August and will be relieved by a new contingent in November to continue this Alliance mission.

In terms of composition, it consists of around 200 aviators from up to 15 different units of the Air and Space Force, and has eight Eurofighter aircraft from Wing 11 (Morón de la Frontera, Seville) and one A400M refuelling aircraft from Wing 31 (Zaragoza) transferred to NATO.