On March 23–24, for the first time since the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states was launched in 2004, a live-fire training takes place conducted by the current detachment – French airmen with the Rafale fighter jets. The Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs) of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces are training at the Brigadier General Kazys Veverskis Training Area to minimize the time and maximize the precision of communication with fighter pilots to ensure accuracy and maximum damage and speed of air-to-ground strikes at the hostile force in support of tactical maneuvers of ground units.
The French Rafale, which translates as “a gust of wind”, has the capability calculate to make them supersonic speed-capable while loaded with four missiles and a fitted spare fuel tank. The NATO Air Policing fighter capability involvement in the exercise enables the Lithuanian military JTACs to improve competencies and ensures high combat readiness, as well as a smooth interoperability among the different services.
The NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states has been conducted without interruptions since 2004 when Lithuanian, Latvia and Estonia became members of NATO. NATO capabilities deployed on the mission are kept on high readiness to conduct Quick Reaction Alert scrambles to intercept aircraft approaching the airspace border of the Baltic states in violation of the international safe aviation rules.
Photo credits: Karolis Kavolėlis
Vide credits: Sgt Spc 1st Class Lukas Kalvaitis: https://we.tl/t-8QWbU9IeKQ
