The German Deployable Control and Reporting Centre (DCRC) has officially started operating at the Lithuanian Air Force Base at Šiauliai. Germany deployed the additional control and reporting capability to the Air Base at Šiauliai to augment the situational airspace awareness and force training of all the three Baltic States that is otherwise carried out by the static Control and Reporting Centres (CRC) at Karmėlava, Lielvarde (Latvia), and Tallinn (Estonia) alone. The German system was fully deployed earlier in the week, and by the end of November it will be fully integrated into NATINAMDS (NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System) to reinforce NATO airspace surveillance capabilities above Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
“German fighter aircraft protecting the Baltic airspace as part of the NATO Air Policing Mission, framework role in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Lithuania, and now – the DCRC deployed in Lithuania showcases Germany’s extraordinarily responsible and complex approach to the security in the Baltic region and the entire NATO,” Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis says.
Parts of the German Deployable Control and Reporting Centre, including approx. 100 personnel, are also deployed in Skede (Latvia) and Amari (Estonia).
The NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is currently led by an Italian Air Force Detachment which deployed in September for 8 months, two rotations in a row, with four Eurofighter aircraft operating to Šiauliai Air Base, and a German Air Force Detachment with six Eurofighter fighter aircraft enhance the mission for two consecutive rotations from the Air Base at Amari, Estonia. The air capabilities conducting the mission respond to air alerts at short notice to intercept, identify and escort unidentified aircraft flying near the NATO airspace. Their actions are controlled by the CRCs in all the three Baltic countries, while the German DCRC will support and augment the allied air architecture. In early September a German Air Force mid-air refuelling aircraft was deployed to augment the activities carried out from Šiauliai Air Base.
The Italian Air Force Detachment conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states are joined by approx. 90 German soldiers with command and control equipment.
Personnel of the German Air Force Control and Reporting Centre operating in Šiauliai by the callsign “Redhawk” is able to deploy, set up, and operate the complex air surveillance and control system anywhere in the world. It is closely linked to other CRCs in the Baltic region and the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany. This DCRC deployment to Šiauliai is yet another Germany’s contribution to the NATO Assurance Measures introduced six years ago and demonstrates NATO commitments to the security of the eastern allies.
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Germany is Lithuania’s principal ally and a cornerstone guarantee of security and stability in Europe. The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning Temporary Stays of Members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Lithuania and the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Territory of the Other State was signed in the summer of 2020.
Germany contributes significantly to the development of Lithuania’s defence capabilities. It is a longstanding partner to Lithuania in upgrading our Armed Forces, weaponry and military equipment.
Germany is also the framework nation of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group deployed for deterrence and defence purposes in Rukla since early 2017, and has the largest portion of troops there. A Mechanised Infantry Brigade of the Lithuanian Armed Forces was affiliated to a German Bundeswehr Division in 2018, thus increasing training opportunities for soldiers of both countries. Germany is also an active participant of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states and delegates officers to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Vilnius.
Photo credits: Bundeswehr
