On February 3 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas paid a visit to the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU LTU) as part of the study tour across National Defence System units. Commander of the unit since its establishment in 2015 Col Jakob Søgård Larsen briefed Minister on key NFIU tasks and success of delivering, the role and key tasks of the NFIU and how the NFIU helps connect the Lithuanian Armed Forces to the NATO military chain of command. Topics of discussion of the visit included enhancing NFIU integration with the Lithuanian Armed Forces and ongoing NATO strategic and joint operational planning efforts.
The NATO Force Integration Unit LTU contributes to the NATO overall situational awareness across all areas and stands ready to coordinate, support and ensure a quick and effective deployment of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and back-up forces to Lithuania if necessary.
The NATO Force Integration Unit LTU also supports allied training events and other security measures in Lithuania, contributes to Lithuania’s defence planning, identifies infrastructure required for a swift deployment of allied forces to Lithuania.
The NATO Force Integration Unit LTU is one of NATO Readiness Action Plan instruments. Peacetime NFIU personnel strength amounts to 40 international and Lithuanian servicemembers.
The decision to establish NATO Force Integration Units (NFIU) in eight allies – Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia – was taken by NATO Heads of States and Governments at the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014.
Photo credits: NFIU
