German troops to replace Dutch counterparts in air policing mission in Lithuania
On Thursday, 30 June a ceremony of handing over the NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltic States will take place at the Siauliai airfield of the Lithuanian Air Force. The outgoing Dutch troops will be replaced by their counterparts from Germany.
German troops will be patrolling the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia by four F-4G Phantom aircraft fighters.
The ceremony is expected to be attended by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Lithuania, HE Pim Dumore, Adviser to the Herman Embassy to Lithuania, Mr Joachim Schemel, Undersecretary of the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania, Mrs Jurate Raguckiene, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force, Colonel Jonas Marcinkus. Representatives from the Dutch, German, Latvian and Estonian Air Forces are also expected to attend.
The air-policing mission in the Baltic States started on 29 March 2004 after the Baltic states’ accession to NATO. The mission has already been attended by air detachments from Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.
On 30 June the Aircraft Control Detachment of the Norwegian Royal Air Force will also complete its mission in Lithuania. Since last year the Norway–led multinational military unit with aircraft control equipment has been performing in the Airspace Control Centre in Karmelava, near Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest city. From now on, command of the Aircraft Control Detachment will be taken over by Germany.
The automated data processing and other special equipment that has jointly been acquired by the three Baltic States are being used for aircraft control. The equipment has been installed at the Regional Airspace Surveillance Co-ordination Centre in Karmëlava.
At the moment, Lithuanian troops are being trained for operating this equipment. After having acquired qualification in aircraft fighter control, two Lithuanian military officers will join the German-led Aircraft Control Detachment in the nearest future.
