Extension of rotation period of NATO air policing mission over the Baltic States under consideration
NATO suggests extending a rotation period of air detachments involved in the NATO air-policing mission over the three Baltic States -- from three up to four months.
The rotation extension would allow for reducing costs of the host nation as well as of those nations who are contributing their troops to the mission. In particular, it would allow for reducing military personnel, aircraft maintenance staff and technical equipment airlifting related costs. Upon extension of the rotation period, Lithuania, as the host nation, would allocate a relatively lower number of resources in preparing for receiving military units and aircraft fighters involved in the mission.
It is suggested that the first contingent to assume a four-month mission would be Turkey. The Turkish contingent’s mission is scheduled to start on 1 April 2006. It is planned that the Turkish detachment would be replaced by Spanish troops and then --by a Belgian detachment.
The NATO air-policing mission in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia started on 29 March 2004 after the states’ accession to NATO. The missions have already been completed by air detachments from Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom. At the moment the airspace of the three Baltic States is being safeguarded by the German Air Force Detachment with four F-4G fighter Phantom II aircraft.
Upon completion of the mission, the German Air Force contingent will be replaced by US Air Force pilots and thereafter – by a Polish Air Force detachment. The US and Polish contingents will execute NATO air policing tasks in accordance with an approved Baltic air policing rotation schedule covering three months each.
