Türkiye joins NATO's enhanced air policing mission with F-16s

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye participated in a training mission in the Western Black Sea as part of NATO's enhanced air policing mission, the country’s National Defence Ministry said on Monday.

In a post on X, the ministry stated that the 1st Main Jet Base Command participated with two F-16 aircraft in the training mission conducted in the Western Black Sea with UK RAF Typhoon jets deployed to Romania between April and July.

The post included footage of the participating aircraft, showcasing their involvement in the mission.

"NATO Air Policing is a peacetime mission that aims to preserve the security of Alliance airspace," NATO said in a separate statement.

It added, "It is a collective task and involves the continuous presence – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to react quickly to possible airspace violations."