Baltic Air Policing
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The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Since March 2004, when Lithuania joined NATO, alliance nations have policed the airspace over the Baltic states on three-month rotation from Lithuania's First Air Base in Zokniai/Šiauliai International Airport, near the northern city of Šiauliai. Starting with the Turkish deployment, rotations changed to a 4 month basis.
Usual deployments consist of four fighter aircraft with between 50 and 100 support personnel.
[edit] Deployments
| Date | Org. | Aircraft | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2004 |  Belgian Air Force |
F-16AM | [1] |
| July 1, 2004 |  Royal Danish Air Force |
F-16 | [2] |
| October 30, 2004 |  RAF |
Panavia Tornado F3 | |
| January 1, 2005 |  Royal Norwegian Air Force |
F-16 | [3] |
| March 30, 2005 |  Royal Netherlands Air Force |
F-16 | |
| June 30, 2005 |  Luftwaffe |
F-4F Phantom | [4] |
| October 12, 2005 |  USAFE,Spangdahlem,23rd EFS |
F-16 | |
| January 1, 2006 |  Polish Air Force |
MiG-29 Fulcrum Contingent "Orlik" | [7] |
| March 31, 2006 |  Turkish Air Force |
F-16 | [8] |
| August 1, 2006 |  Spanish Air Force |
Mirage F-1 | [9] , [10] |
| December 1, 2006 | Belgian Air Force |
F-16AM | [11] |
| April 1, 2007 |  French Air Force |
Mirage 2000 ? | |
| August 1, 2007 |  Romanian Air Force |
MiG-21MF-75 Lancer C |
[edit] References
- ^ Belgium Baltic Air Policing
- ^ Embassy of Denmark, Vilnius, Defence Attache
- ^ Norwegian fighter aircraft on a temporary NATO mission in the baltic
- ^ Germans takes over Baltic NATO mission
- ^ 23rd EFS protects Baltic skies
- ^ Sabers deploy to Lithuania, join NATO air policing mission
- ^ Polish Wings over Baltic States
- ^ Turkish Military Personnel to Take Over Execution of NATO Air Policing Mission Over the Baltic States
- ^ Spain to carry out NATO patrol in Baltic countries
- ^ Turkish Military Personnel to Take Over Execution of NATO Air Policing Mission Over the Baltic States
- ^ Belgian F16's will lead NATO's Air Policing mission in the Baltic States from 01/12/2006
