First air policing mission for Spanish tanker aircraft and Eurofighters in Operation Eastern Sentry

• This is the first time they have been activated as part of the new mission to protect the airspace on the eastern flank of the Alliance

The A400M tanker aircraft (TK.23) from Wing 31 has carried out a refueling flight in support of two Eurofighter (EF-2000) fighter jets from Wing 11, as part of the ‘Eastern Sentry’ mission. This is the first real air policing activation (A-Scramble) of a Spanish tanker aircraft alongside national fighters in this deployment, a milestone that consolidates the A400M's capability as a force multiplier in real operations.

During the five-hour flight, the TK.23 provided the fuel needed to extend the fighters' time in the area, thus ensuring the continuity of the mission. The support of the maintenance personnel was essential for the launch and recovery of the aircraft under highly demanding operational conditions.

According to the head of DAT Vilkas, Lieutenant Colonel Holgado, “the completion of this mission, within the framework of Operation Eastern Sentinel, demonstrates the high level of integration of the resources and personnel that Spain places at the service of the Alliance to guarantee territorial sovereignty on the eastern flank.”

With this mission, Spain reaffirms its key role in projecting and sustaining national air power, providing an in-flight refueling capability that enhances the autonomy and flexibility of NATO operations.

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

DAT ‘Vilkas’ —which means ‘wolf’ in Lithuanian— is an air tactical detachment of the Air and Space Force that contributes to enhanced air policing tasks on NATO's eastern flank. This detachment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Holgado del Aguila, will operate between August and November 2025 from the Šiauliai air base in northern Lithuania.

In terms of its composition, it is made up of almost 200 military 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 refueling aircraft from Wing 31 (Zaragoza).

During these three months of activation, the Detachment has carried out, in addition to its air policing duties, other tasks in the field of institutional representation. Among others, visits have been received from the Ministers of Defense of Spain and Lithuania, the Spanish Ambassador to Lithuania, the Canadian Ambassador to Lithuania, and the General, Commander Officer of NATO Airborne Early Warning (NAEW) in Germany. Likewise, there is collaboration with the municipality of Šiauliai, from which the detachment's aviators receive constant support.