North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Air Command
August 26, 2014
ALLIANCE SOLIDARITY IN THE BALTIC REGION CONTINUES
Ramstein, GERMANY: As NATO’s current Baltic Air Policing (BAP) rotation draws to a close at the end of August, outgoing fighter detachments are working hard to prepare hand over responsibilities and tasks.
The 36th rotation of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing will commence in September with six Portuguese F-16 fighter aircraft deploying to Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania to execute the mission as the lead nation. Canada, Germany and The Netherlands will be augmenting the mission.
The official BAP handover/takeover ceremony will take place at Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania, on 1 September 2014. The outgoing nations; Poland, United Kingdom, Denmark and France will pass responsibility for the Baltic airspace to the four incoming nations.
Four Canadian CF-18s will operate from Siauliai Air Base alongside Portugal. Germany will deploy four Eurofighters to Ämari Air Base, Estonia, and the Netherlands will have four of its F-16s at Malbork Air Base, Poland. All assets will be used to ensure 24/7 availability of Quick Reaction Alert (Intercept) forces to secure the airspace over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
NATO’s BAP is a standing peacetime mission and has been conducted since April 2004. As the Baltic States do not have their own means to provide air policing of their territory, they have been assisted by other NATO members to preserve the integrity of their sovereign airspace in peacetime, and to ensure their collective security. So far, 14 NATO nations have supported this mission.
In line with NATO’s extensive assurance measures, Allies have offered additional assets under the NATO Air Policing framework since April 2014.
Story by HQ AIRCOM Public Affairs Office
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