---
title: "France conducts a short-notice airborne operation into Estonia"
id: "64236"
type: "post"
slug: "france-conducts-a-short-notice-airborne-operation-into-estonia"
published_at: "2022-06-22T18:39:00+00:00"
modified_at: "2022-06-22T20:36:08+00:00"
url: "https://estonianworld.com/security/france-conducts-a-short-notice-airborne-operation-into-estonia/"
markdown_url: "https://estonianworld.com/security/france-conducts-a-short-notice-airborne-operation-into-estonia.md"
excerpt: "The French armed forces conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation towards Estonia. About a hundred paratroopers from the French 11th Airborne Brigade were […]"
taxonomy_category:
  - "Security"
publisher: "Estonian World"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sten Hankewitz"
author_url: "https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/"
---

# France conducts a short-notice airborne operation into Estonia

![Image](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220622_cabcemacom_oap_thunderlynx_dropzoneestonie-5-sVkVu5-1024x681.jpg)

The French armed forces on 22 June 2022 conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation into Estonia. Photo by NATO.

By  [Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
  ·  June 22, 2022  · [Security](https://estonianworld.com/category/security/)
 · 2 minutes of reading

### The French armed forces conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation towards Estonia.

About a hundred paratroopers from the French 11th Airborne Brigade were deployed by an A-400M transport aircraft above the Estonian territory, to be dropped over a zone held by Estonian soldiers.

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220622_cabcemacom_oap_thunderlynx_ba126solenzara-2-XkC3B4.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220622_cabcemacom_oap_thunderlynx_ba126solenzara-2-XkC3B4.jpg)

The French armed forces on 22 June 2022 conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation into Estonia. Photo by NATO.

This airdropping was followed by a joint tactical training maneuver between French and Estonian units, NATO said in a statement.

“Operation Thunder Lynx highlights and illustrates the ability of the French armed forces to urgently deploy, at very short notice, in any time and any place, to support any NATO allies in Europe,” the alliance added.

“This airborne operation participates in the strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defensive posture on its eastern flank, especially in the Baltic countries and in Romania.”

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FV3ZcU6WAAAbtqF.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FV3ZcU6WAAAbtqF.jpg)

The French armed forces on 22 June 2022 conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation into Estonia. Photo by NATO.

Bound by a defence agreement since 2012, France and Estonia have a dense bilateral military relation.

“The engagement of French units in NATO missions in Estonia, within the Enhanced Forward Presence and Enhanced Air Policing, have strengthened interoperability between the French and Estonian forces. It enables French and Estonian soldiers to work together for the defense and the security of the alliance,” NATO added.

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220622_cabcemacom_oap_thunderlynx_ba123orleans-2-w63mT1.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220622_cabcemacom_oap_thunderlynx_ba123orleans-2-w63mT1.jpg)

The French armed forces on 22 June 2022 conducted Operation Thunder Lynx, a force projection operation into Estonia. Photo by NATO.

On 13 March, four Mirage 2000-5F multirole fighter jets, belonging to the French Air and Space Force, [arrived at Ämari Air Base in Estonia](https://estonianworld.com/security/france-deploys-four-fighter-jets-to-estonia/)
. The jets joined the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission and they will be based at Ämari until 1 August.

## About The Author

![Avatar photo](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/local-avatars/15/1707599474-bpfull-100x100.jpg)

[Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
Sten Hankewitz is a lifelong journalist and the Executive Editor at Estonian World. Having lived in Estonia, Spain, the UK and all around the US, he now resides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He loves to write and besides working at Estonian World, he [writes books](https://estonianworld.com/culture/the-grand-illusion-estonian-worlds-sten-hankewitz-publishes-a-novel-about-growing-up-in-the-soviet-union/)
 and contributes to other outlets. He has strong convictions and shows them unashamedly. You can follow Sten on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@stenhankewitz)
, [X](https://twitter.com/stenhankewitz)
 and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/shankewitz/)
. You can also [email him](mailto:sten@estonianworld.com)
.