Baltic Sentry monitoring mission

15.10.2025 Based on the success of Baltic Sentry, and in response to ongoing airspace violations, including the numerous Russian drones that violated Poland’s airspace on September 10, Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is responsible for the planning and execution of all NATO operations, began Eastern Sentry on September 12.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>📍Poland | First 🇫🇷 flights within operation EASTERN SENTRY ✈️ 🛡️ Steadfast vigilance alongside our allies <a href=”https://t.co/chaGquQNx2″>pic.twitter.com/chaGquQNx2</a>— The 🇫🇷 Joint Staff – Military operations (@FrenchForces) <a href=”https://twitter.com/FrenchForces/status/1966863461213766085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 13, 2025</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

As the Supreme Allied Commander Europe said at the time, “The violation of Poland’s airspace was not an isolated incident and impacts more than just Poland” NATO military officer said.
“Russia has been reckless all along our Eastern Flank, and elsewhere. We have seen them violate our airspace, not just in Poland, but in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Romania. Whether intentional or not, these incidents are dangerous and unacceptable.
That is why this multi-domain activity spans from the High North to the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and beyond, and is designed to further strengthen our posture to shield and protect all Allies”.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>NATO’s air defences on the Eastern flank are growing stronger 📷 Under Eastern Sentry, aircraft and anti-air missiles have been deployed to Poland 📷 to increase air defence and protect all Allies 📷 Find more information in the link in our bio. <a href=”https://t.co/E4hM5qgBSK”>pic.twitter.com/E4hM5qgBSK</a>— SHAPE – NATO Allied Command Operations (@SHAPE_NATO) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SHAPE_NATO/status/1970053810119712944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

In addition to NATO and national capabilities already defending the Alliance’s Eastern Flank, nine nations have contributed or have announced they will soon contribute additional capabilities to Eastern Sentry:

• Czechia deployed three Mi-171S helicopters to Poland with approximately 150 support personnel.
• France deployed three Rafale fighter jets to Poland and sent an A400M transport aircraft to deliver munitions and supplies to the Rafales.
• Germany contributed four Eurofighter Typhoons fighter jets based in Germany.
• The United Kingdom contributed two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets based in the United Kingdom, supported by a Voyager air refuelling aircraft, which will also be based in the United Kingdom.
• Italy will extend its deployment of a SAMP/T air defence system and airborne early warning plane in Estonia.
• Denmark contributed two F-35 fighter jets based in Denmark, and the frigate Niels Jule, all of which it recently announced.
• Spain and Sweden have also pledged but not yet identified their contributions.
• And Türkiye has sent one of its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to Lithuania.

This military activity not only adds additional assets from Allies. It also better connects the range of assets already available, strengthening our air defence.
It will also incorporate innovative technologies and tactics designed to deal with new and novel challenges, like those we see from drones. Just as we have done with Baltic Sentry.
In addition to NATO work with Allied Command Transformation, to rapidly experiment and field new technologies at Alliance-wide scale, such as counter-drone sensors and weapons to detect, track and kill drones, we are also working within Allied Command Operations, particularly at Allied Land Command.

The Eastern Flank Deterrence Line is Allied Land Command’s operational concept for NATO land forces to invest in current and emerging technologies to develop capabilities to offset an adversary’s advantages in mass and momentum. This includes building a layered network of sensors integrated with a common AI-enabled command and control system to detect and then out-target an adversary using a combination of unmanned and manned systems.
Allied Land Command is using Eastern Sentry as a test case for the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line to help Eastern Flank nations acquire and employ sensors and counter unmanned aerial system technology.
Allied Land Command is conducting experimentation with industry on these concepts – together with U.S. Army Europe and Africa, who shares a commander with the Alliance’s land command – to help members make smart investments that will enable them to meet their requirements under NATO’s integrated defines plans (i.e. their capability targets).

Baltic Sentry in essence is a monitoring activity aimed at maintaining a persistent understanding of the maritime environment in the Baltic Sea that has resulted in:

– Stronger, more resilient security network and architecture of Allied navies, coast guard, and maritime police working together and across organisations to enhance vigilance
– Significantly faster response times to suspicious maritime activity.
– Helping Allies accelerate innovation by placing new unmanned platforms in the operational environment to augment Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capabilities. Also, the use of AI software to better understand and make decisions about maritime patterns of life and potentially suspicious activity.
– Bottom line – deterrence. No maligned damage to CUI since Baltic Sentry began.

With this success, Allies understand that deterrence is not static. The security architecture and network built during Baltic Sentry is sustainable for the long term.
Also, the persistent understanding of the environment brings flexibility to utilise Baltic Sentry activities to monitor other potential maligned activity coming from the sea (drones).

The NATO military officer added that Russian Federation Navy is dedicating significant resources to protect their own shipping (legal and illegal sanctioned shipping). This along with the war in Ukraine, degradation of the Black Sea fleet, loss of port in Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea, and maintaining presence in the High North and Atlantic is stretching the Russian navy’s readiness and force generation capabilities. These readiness issues are indirectly linked to Baltic Sentry and trying to match and meet Allied maritime presence.

NATO contribution to Eastern Sentry is clear: bringing innovation to the front line at scale and speed of relevance.
The intent is to integrate new, scalable counter-drone technologies into the eastern flank posture, closing the gap between experiment and operational use.