North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
January 8, 2014
THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATO AIR POLICING IN THE BALTIC REGION
Story by HQ AIRCOM Public Affairs Office
RAMSTEIN, Germany: On 3 January 2014, the handover from the Belgian Air Force to the United States Air Force at Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania, marked the tenth anniversary of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. To honour this special occasion of Alliance solidarity, the Commander of Allied Air Command (AIRCOM), General Frank Gorenc, who is also Commander of United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, joined the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas and Lieutenant General Claude Van De Voorde, Commander of the Belgian Air Component, for an official ceremony.
“As the advocate for air power inside NATO I clearly understand the challenging nature of the NATO Air Policing mission,” said General Gorenc who discussed this event and other air-related matters with his Lithuanian counterparts. “The execution of this mission by different Allies to an exacting level of performance that we expect from NATO forces highlights the importance of bringing together personnel of the highest caliber. I would like to extend my congratulations to our Belgian colleagues who have just completed their rotation and I wish Godspeed to the United States Air Force team for the coming months.”
Since March 2004, 14 NATO Allies have deployed a total of 34 contingents to the air base at Siauliai, Lithuania, to ensure the integrity of the airspace above Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after these countries acceded to the North Atlantic Alliance. The Baltic Air Policing mission has been executed by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Air Policing describes the joint and collective use of fighter aircraft to preserve the integrity of NATO airspace. This collective effort also ensures a single standard of security within NATO’s Area of Responsibility. In order to achieve this goal, those Allies that do not have adequate Air Policing assets of their own are assisted by others.
This rotation marks the fourth deployment for US Air Forces in support of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. F-15 fighters normally based at Lakenheath, United Kingdom, as well as a total force of 150 pilots, operators, maintainers, ground handlers and other support staff have deployed to Siauliai Air Base. The mission that commenced on 3 January will end after four months. During their stay the US fighters will be controlled by the Baltic Control and Reporting Centre at Karmelava, Lithuania, and NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany. The overall mission is led by NATO’s AIRCOM at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Later during the rotation, HQ AIRCOM will conduct the 17th sequel of the Baltic Region Training Event. This exercise series has provided training for deployed NATO aircraft and other regional aircraft as well as command and control staff in Air Policing skills and situations. These events highlight NATO’s idea of honing its assets in joint and mutual training to thoroughly prepare them for their day-to-day missions.
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