The United States Air Force has recently deployed F-22 Raptor fighter jets to Estonia as a deterrence measure against potential aggression in the Baltic Sea region. These high-tech stealth jets, considered the most advanced in the world, have been stationed at the Amari Air Base in Estonia to support NATO's Air Shielding mission along the Eastern Flank.

This deployment followed an earlier one in April, where twelve F-22 Raptors were sent to Powidz Air Base in Poland. These initiatives contribute to strengthening the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and Counter-Integrated Air Defense System (C-IADS) capabilities of the NATO alliance along its Eastern Flank - a border that stretches nearly 1,500 miles.

The rapid deployment of these forces, alongside other NATO allies in the Baltic Sea region, demonstrates the operational readiness of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the coalition's capacity to protect NATO territories. The Baltic nations - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - are strategically located along an essential air, land, and sea corridor. This location necessitates a coordinated approach among NATO allies to maintain international freedom of movement throughout the region.

Currently, a Spanish NASAMS air defense system is positioned in Latvia, providing ground-based air defense. In close coordination with this, the Latvian Control and Reporting Center operates. The Royal Air Force Typhoons, stationed in Estonia, are conducting NATO's peacetime Air Policing mission. The U.S. has the capability to rapidly reinforce other deployed units with fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 Raptor, enhancing NATO's overall integration across all domains.

An effective IAMD strategy encompasses air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains to provide comprehensive awareness of airspace, especially when facing complex threats from adversaries. The F-22 Raptor, being a highly agile stealth aircraft, is designed to quickly assert dominance, neutralize evolving threats, and establish air superiority.