On March 30 a hand over-take over ceremony of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states took place at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai. The incoming Air Force Detachment deployed by the Portuguese Armed Forces will be conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic airspace with four F-16 fighter aircraft with reinforcement of yet another four F-16s of the Romanian Air Force Detachment.
The outgoing Polish and French Allies were thanked for the mission and the incoming airmen were welcomed by Vice Minister of National Defence Greta Monika Tučkutė. Vice Minister thanked for their contribution to the security of the region and stressed the need to develop a rotational air defence model alongside the NATO Air Policing Mission – and deploy more air defense sin the Baltic states.
“A the security situation is deteriorating, the Allied commitments to our collective security are particularly important. We need to advance with strengthening the NATO Forward Defence, including in the airspace. One of our priorities ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius is to strengthen the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) with an additional rotational air defence model and deployment of additional air capabilities to the Baltic states – fighter aircraft, ground-based air defence and missile defence systems,” said G. M. Tučkutė.
Development of rotational air defence model would enable Allies to conduct air defence training events and improve readiness for a smooth transition from Air Policing to Air Defence in the event of a crisis. Lithuania invests in the infrastructure at the Air Force Base at in order to ensure good Host Nation Support to Allied air capabilities. Also, together with Latvia and Estonia, Lithuania has improved air training and exercise conditions in the Baltic region by establishing regional military airspace areas that form one bloc across the countries.
The Portuguese Air Force will be providing a NATO Air Policing Mission Detachment in the Baltic states for the six coming months for the sixth time and Romania is sending its second rotation since the first deployment in Lithuania in 2007.
The outgoing Polish airmen were safeguarding the Baltic airspace with four F-16s and 150 pilots, technical, medical, support group, communications and other specialized personnel. The reinforcing element sent by France was approx. 100-strong and flew four Rafale fighter jets.
Over the time of deployment the Allied military held community engagement events in Šiauliai, hosted guided tours for students and schoolchildren, took part in city events and provided assistance to Šiauliai Foster Nursery.
The NATO Air Policing Mission started standing guard of the Baltic airspace in 2004, it was enhanced with additional capabilities in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in response to the military Russia’s aggression in 2014.
Photo credits: Antanas Gedrimas.
