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Detachments conducting the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission will change over

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2025-03-28
International cooperation

On March 31 at 10:00hrs detachments conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states will change over at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai. After eight months on duty the French and Italian Air Forces will hand over the responsibility for security of the Baltic airspace to the Polish Air Force with four F-16 Fighting Falcons. They will be reinforced by the Romanian Air Force troops with F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets.

Poland will be in charge of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states for the thirteenth time. The current rotation will include approx. 140 members: pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists.

The Romanian Air Force will be contributing to the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission for the third time. Their rotation will comprise approx. 110 different specialists.

The rotation ceremony will be attended by Vice Minister of National Defence Karolis Aleksa, Commander of the German Air Operations Command Lieutenant General Poschwatta, Chief of Defence of Romania General Gheorghita Vlad, Chief of Defence of Lithuania General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Commander Lithuanian Air Force Colonel Antanas Matutis, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Base Lt Col Eligijus Rukšnaitis, representatives of Šiauliai City and other guests.

The outgoing Italian Air Force were flying four Eurofighter Typhoons and the French - four Rafale fighter aircraft.

NATO Allies began deploying air assets in protection of the Baltic states' airspace in March 2004, when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia became members of NATO. Since then, 17 Allies have deployed capabilities to the mission since then. The mission flown by Poland and Romania will be the 69th iteration since the launched of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.