Spanish F-18s deployed in Estonia have taken part in certification tests for the new emergency aircraft arresting system installed at Ämari Air Base, one of the locations from which NATO’s air policing mission operates in the Baltic region. The Spanish detachment comprises 110 service members and four EF-18Ms, with personnel from Wing 15, based in Zaragoza, making up its main contingent.
The test assessed the operation of a system designed to stop an aircraft when, in an emergency, it is unable to complete braking through conventional procedures. To verify its performance, one of the Spanish EF-18Ms, weighing approximately 14 metric tons, deliberately activated the mechanism while traveling at close to 280 kilometers per hour.
The system brought the fighter jet to a controlled stop. The Spanish aircraft recovery team then worked alongside base firefighters and local operators to release the aircraft. The disengagement process was completed in about 30 seconds and, after safety conditions were confirmed, the aircraft returned to its parking area.
Such assessments are conducted periodically to maintain the system’s certification and ensure that compatible allied aircraft can use it in an emergency. The tests also help coordinate the actions of the various teams that would need to respond to an actual incident.
Spanish presence in Baltic air defense
The Ámbar tactical air detachment has been deployed in Estonia since early September and will remain in the country until mid-October. Spain is participating with four EF-18Ms in NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission, part of the allied framework for monitoring and protecting the airspace of the Baltic states.
The Spanish personnel stationed at Ämari come from several units of the Spanish Air and Space Force, although the main contribution is provided by Wing 15, based at Zaragoza Air Base. The detachment is commanded by Maj. Antonio Mancebo Marín.
The Spanish presence is part of a multinational deployment. Turkish Air Force F-16s also operate from Ämari, while Italy is contributing Eurofighter EF-2000s to the air policing mission from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania.
The deployment forms part of Spain’s contribution to NATO’s integrated air and missile defense in the Baltic, a region that maintains a permanent presence of allied assets to monitor its airspace.
For Wing 15, the deployment also marks another international mission for one of the Spanish Air and Space Force’s leading combat units based in Aragon. In this case, its personnel and aircraft are operating more than 2,000 kilometers from Zaragoza as part of a multinational mission bringing together air capabilities from several Alliance countries.
