French Rafale Fighter Shoots Down Drone in Latvia Amid Rising Tensions
A French military Rafale fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia on June 8, 2026. The incident, confirmed by the French Air and Space Force, occurred as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission. The drone's incursion is linked to Russian electromagnetic warfare, a common threat in the Baltic region. This event is part of a series of security incidents along Europe's eastern borders, related to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The French Ministry of Defense plans to introduce a lower-cost counter-drone capability on the Rafale by summer, as current interception methods are costly. NATO is working on layered defenses, including short-range ground-based air defenses and electronic warfare, to counter such threats.