A detachment from the Belgian Air Component will be welcomed to the NATO Air Defence Mission in the Baltic states during a ceremony at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai.
Approximately 100 Belgian airmen and six F-16 Fighting Falcons will reinforce the Italian Air Force detachment currently guarding the Baltic skies.
The deployment ceremony will be attended by the Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force, Col. Antanas Matutis, the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Lithuania, Emanuele de Maigret, the Deputy Mayor of Šiauliai, Justinas Švėgžda, alongside representatives of public institutions and other guests.
At the NATO Summit in Ankara in July this year, allies agreed to transition the NATO Air Policing Mission into the NATO Air Defence Mission. This reconfiguration has expanded the mandate of the NATO military command, enabling a more robust and rapid response to a wider spectrum of air threats – ranging from UAVs and manned aircraft to cruise and ballistic missiles. The transition also grants the NATO military command greater flexibility to deploy air defence capabilities where they are needed most.
In late July, the first rotation under the NATO Air Defence Mission in the Baltic states arrived from Italy, bringing four Eurofighter Typhoon (EF-2000) fighter jets.
The NATO Air Defence Mission is a core element of the Alliance’s collective defence, facilitating the consistent deployment of Allied capabilities and maintaining readiness to respond to air threats in the Baltic region. The contributions of the deploying nations serve as a testament to NATO’s long-term commitment to the security of the Baltic states and the defence of the Eastern Flank.
