In the NATO multinational Baltic air policing unit stationed in Šiauliai, this week Czech and Spanish pilots will take over the duties from Denmark and Poland, Lithuanian National Defence Ministry reports.
Having protected the Baltic airspace for four and two months, the Polish Air Force Detachment and the Danish Air Force Detachment, respectively, will transfer the mission to the Spanish Air Force Detachment with eight F-18 Hornets. The new rotation will be augmented by five Czech Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft.
«NATO patrols in the Baltic skies have always been a vital element of defence, today we can see it clearer than ever before. The security environment in the region is deteriorating, therefore we highly value the NATO response to the situation and strengthening of the Baltic air policing forces in the Eastern flank of NATO,» said Lithuania’s Vice Minister of National Defence Margiris Abukevičius.
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The Spanish Air Force will be protecting the Baltic airspace for the ninth time. The Check Republic has guarded our regional airspace three times before. The outgoing Polish and Danish detachments were guarding the Baltic airspace with eight F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets.
The rotation ceremony will be attended by Abukevičius, Chief of Staff of Headquarters Allied Air Command at Ramstein Maj Gen Jörg Lebert, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Col Dainius Guzas, and other guests, the ministry’s press release reads.
Czech and Spanish pilots to take over NATO Baltic air policing
