On 29th-30th of October, the College Management Group (CMG) of the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) visited the Ämari Airbase in Estonia. The aim of the trip was to continue a sequence of field visits aiming to get a comprehensive overview of the regional armed forces and to build stronger relationships with military organisations in order to better fulfil expectations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the area of military education.

BALTDEFCOL’s delegation was welcomed by Lieutenant Colonel Ülar Lõhmus, Commander of the Ämari Airbase. The programme included an introduction to the Air Policing mission and Eurofighter aircraft by the Commander of the German Air Force Detachment. It was followed by a presentation on the Estonian Air Force and afterwards, members of the CMG received a tour on the Ämari Airbase premises.

The visit was followed by the College Management Group Meeting to discuss BALTDEFCOL’s current developments and future activities.

The Ämari Airbase is one of the two tactical military units of the Estonian Defence Forces under the command of the Commander of the Estonian Air Force, with the main tasks of airbase operations and organisation of aviation activities in the Estonian Defence Forces. The Ämari Airbase as an Air Force unit was founded on 15 May 1997. Up until 2004 the airbase also housed a conscript training facility, but today the base is only staffed with active servicemen and civilian employees. Starting from 1 May 2014, NATO’s air policing fighter detachment is based at Ämari.