According to the most recent plans, a Hungarian air contingent will take charge of the Baltic Air Policing Mission as of September with four JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft operating from the Šiauliai Air Base, while four Eurofighter Typhoon fighters from Germany will strengthen the mission from the Amari Air Base in Estonia.

According to Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas, NATO stands ready to provide a response - allied nations have demonstrated it very clearly by immediately additional strength to deter the aggressor after the Russian annexation of Crimea.

NATO is currently stepping up its capabilities in the Baltic states and the entire region of Eastern Europe thus implementing the agreements made at the Wales Summit. Soon NATO pre-positioned headquarters, NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) will begin operating in Lithuania and another 5 NATO member states thus enabling rapid deployment of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJFT) and additional rapid response elements in the region in case of necessity. NATO allies are also sending rotating ground force units and equipment to take part in training exercises in Lithuania and other Baltic states.

"The Alliance is prepared to deploy as much air capability as it is necessary, in case it is necessary. There are plan updates, procedures allowed for, and infrastructure is being established. Redeployment and reorganization of capabilities is a routine thing," Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas says.

According to the Minister, the Baltic states seek that the main contingent of the NATO Baltic Air Mission operating from Šiauliai would be augmented with additional capabilities deployed in both, Estonia and Lithuania, and there are ongoing consultations with NATO allies regarding the matter.

NATO countries began sending military personnel and aircraft to guard Baltic states' skies in 2004, upon Lithuania's, Latvia's and Estonia's NATO accession.

After the Russian aggression in Ukraine NATO allies strengthened protection of the Baltic airspace by deploying additional four-fighter contingents to Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Romania to augment the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission conducted from air bases in these countries.

The additional contingents strengthening the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission were deployed in in Lithuania (Šiauliai Air Base) and in Estonia (Amari Air Base) thus making up the total of 12 NATO fighter jets with crews, one main and to augmenting air contingents, patrolling the Baltic airspace.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia cooperatively render comprehensive Host Nation Support and provide logistical support to all the deployed air capabilities for the total of up to annual EUR 15 million.

Related image. JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft. Credit: Jan Kouba (Czech Air Force).

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