Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia signed a Declaration of Cooperation on cross-border airspace back at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, which has now become a source of inspiration for other NATO Allies. Fourteen other NATO Allies have followed suit signing a Letter of Intent on cross-border airspace and accessibility for NATO activities in Europe.
The document lays out the intent of the signatories to develop ways to ensure a cross-border military airspace in Europe for NATO air activities, including air defence training and exercises.
The Letter of Intent was signed in the margins of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels last week by Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Norway, Slovakia, Finland, France, North Macedonia, Sweden, Türkiye and Hungary.
“This agreement the Allies have made was inspired by the landmark Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia had set in cross-border airspace establishment, it has been a starting point for more of such airspace segments in other regions of Europe. Lithuania initiated the process a few years back, therefore cross-border airspace in the Baltic region is currently fully established and functional,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
This year the Baltic states made the cross-border airspace available for the use of NATO Allies while also inviting them to implement the Rotational NATO Air Defence Model without further delay.
The Rotational NATO Air Defence Model increases readiness of the Alliance’s air and missile defence capabilities. The initiative will provide the basis for rotational deployments of additional Allied ground-based air defence systems and aviation capabilities.
According to Minister A. Anušauskas, Lithuania takes the implementation of the Rotational NATO Air Defence Model seriously and is prepared for Allied air defence capability deployments.
