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.
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.”
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.
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. The jets joined the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission and they will be based at Ämari until 1 August.
