On the 100th anniversary of independence, Italian Typhoons fly over Tallinn The Italian Eurofighter and the Bandiera Group of the 36th Stormo Task Force, deployed in Estonia for the NATO Air Policing mission, took part in the solemn ceremony in Tallinn on the 100th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Estonia. The Republic of Estonia Day
On February 24, 1918, Estonia issued a declaration of independence from Soviet Russia, and for 100 years now the Estonian Independence Day has been considered a holiday and celebrated with fireworks, concerts, parties, and an impressive military parade.
Precisely to seal this important anniversary, the nations that are actively participating in the security of the Baltic States during this period have also been invited to participate in the ceremony: Denmark, Great Britain, the United States and Italy, which is engaged in Estonia in the NATO Air Policing mission.
“Our presence here in Estonia is a demonstration of the strong Italian commitment in support of NATO – the words of the Commander of the TFA, Col. Eros Zaniboni – ensuring that the airspace of each member nation of the Alliance is safe and protected.” At the conclusion of the traditional military parade, held in the center of the Estonian capital, where the Task Force Air Flag Group also paraded with the Italian tricolor, the attention of the crowd that had gathered for the event shifted upward to admire the flight of the Estonian air assets and those of NATO nations, among which were three Italian Eurofighters taking off from the nearby military airport of Ämari. The defense of Estonian airspace
Air Policing is a collective defense mission in peacetime, conducted to safeguard the airspace integrity of the NATO Alliance members. The Air Policing mission in the Baltic States aims to confirm the Alliance’s ability to share and pool all existing capabilities.
Italian fighter jets have been securing the integrity of the airspace over the Baltic Republics under NATO control since the first days of January.
In 2004, with the Baltic states and Bulgaria joining the Atlantic Alliance, the airspace of those countries became an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic airspace and, as such, were included in NATO's air and missile defence system. This system also includes Air Policing activity, which consists of continuous aerial surveillance aimed at ensuring the integrity and security of NATO airspace.
