Today, January 9, a newly built helicopter hangar has been unveiled in the Lithuanian Air Force Base at Šiauliai. It will be used to park helicopters, carry out maintenance and technical service, while the administrative-purpose building will have offices.
“More and more Allies deploy to Lithuania, the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is strengthened, we aim to implement the Rotational NATO Air Defence Model with the Allies. It all makes military infrastructure development at the Air Base a particularly relevant component of strengthening deterrence and defence. The military infrastructure developed here is among the most critical long-term priorities not just to Lithuania but also to NATO,” Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas said inaugurating the new structure.
“Proper development of infrastructure at the Air Force Base is critical to Lithuania. It is necessary to be able to ensure a proper Lithuania’s airlift capability. Moreover, the Lithuanian Air Forces has another important responsibility during peaceful time to carry out search and rescue. On duty 24/7, Air Force helicopters are sent to rescue those in distress at sea, find lost and missing people, transport organs for transplantation, or extinguish fires,” said Commander of the Air Forces Col Antanas Matutis.
Over 166 million euros is planned to be invested in the Air Force infrastructure by 2028, approx. 50 million will be provided by NATO. The investment will total to approx. EUR 66 million as soon as 2023–2024, 60% of it will come from the NATO Security Investment Programme.
A new hangar for maintenance and parking of the Black Hawk helicopters
The hangar unveiled Tuesday has been built for parking and maintaining the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters the first two of which are expected to be delivered to Lithuania in 2025 and the other two in 2026. Two pilots and 10 maintenance experts were trained last year for the specific type of helicopter with another 8 pilots and 8 more technicians to be ready over this year.
Lithuania has purchased the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters on the basis of the contract signed in 2020 by the ministry of National Defence and the United States Department of Defence, the document covers the procurement of four helicopters, auxiliary equipment, spare parts, and training, repair and logistical support package. The purchased helicopters are currently upgraded at a modification factory in Huntsville, Alabama.
The UH-60M Black Hawk are medium-sized, fast, maneuverable and efficient, among the most versatile of the type. The purchase will not only significantly enhance the combat power of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and ensure quality training but will also support peacetime missions quicker and with more precision.
The new hangar has installed spaces for aviation equipment, weaponry, mechanical equipment and engine maintenance, storage of aviation oil and fluids, rescue equipment and more. There is a compressed air system in the hangar area and all component maintenance areas.
The helicopter space takes up nearly 2 thousand square meters of the total nearly 2.5 thousand square meters, the administrative corps is over 500 square meters. The approx. 3.6 million euros worth project was carried out by Tilta UAB and finished last December.
Start of long-term Air Base infrastructure development
The taxiway and apron reconstruction at the Air Base is halfway through and expected to be finished in 2024. The current platform will be expanded with an engine testing area for E-3A AWACS. A shed for fire equipment is in design phase: the construction will be located right in the centre part of the runway to ensure to fire engines the quickest possible access to any part of the runway. The first phase of airfield perimeter fencing reconstruction is planned to be finished and a shelter on the auxiliary runway this year as well.
Major part of the constructions partly financed from NATO funds are planned to be completed in 2024 too. Those include parking aprons, cargo terminal. The projects important to NATO Allies as well are planned to be finished by 2025 along with the second phase of the airfield perimeter fencing and helicopter parking area.
Multipurpose hangars for additional NATO aircraft deployed on the Air Policing Mission and Lithuanian C-27J Spartans, a training corps and aprons for hosting Allied capabilities, as well as the third phase of the perimeter fencing and other works are planned to be completed by 2026.
The complex infrastructure development at the Air Base will enhance the operation of the entire Lithuanian military airport in arranging and implementing different air operations and military and peacetime tasks with the Allies.
A territory decontaminated in Zokniai
The largest area decontamination project in Lithuania carried out on EU financing (2020-2023) was completed last year. It cleared a 13 ha territory in Zokniai of oil product contamination left behind by the Soviet army. Half of the area is in the responsibility of Šiauliai City Council, the other belongs to the Air Force Base.
The project was implemented by the Lithuanian Armed Forces in collaboration with Šiauliai City Council. It is worth EUR 2 million 95% of which is provided from EU funds.
Photo credit: MoD / Pte 1st Class K. Kavolėlis
