On March 22 Commander AIRCOM and Commanders of the Air Forces of the Nordic, Baltic countries and Poland discussed security situation in the region, military cooperation, and the Air Policing Mission, and shared air force status updates at a meeting in Lithuania.
"Such meetings of Air Chiefs are particularly important not only for enhancing countries' interoperability through cooperation or joint exercises, but also for coordination of allies' actions to address the security challenges of today," acting Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Colonel Devis Martusevičius said.
The meeting which took place at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai also addressed air security and Baltic airspace defensibility.
Commander AIRCOM and Commanders of the Air Forces of the Nordic, Baltic countries and Poland discussed security situation in the region, further military cooperation, and share dair force status updates at a meeting at Šiauliai Air Base.
The Lithuanian Air Force and security situation in the region was presented to the delegation by acting Commander of the Air Force Colonel Devis Martusevičius and Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Base Colonel Marius Matulaitis. The guests also met the Netherlands Air Force Detachment currently conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.
The delegation visiting the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai included Major General Tonje Skinnarland, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, Major General Kim Erkki Akseli Jaameri, Commander of the Finnish Air Force, Major General Mats Helgesson, Chief of Staff of the Swedish Air Force,- Brigadier General Cezary Wisniewski, Inspector of the Polish Air Force, Colonel Armands Saltups, Commander of the Latvian Air Force and Colonel Jaak Tarien, Commander of the Estonian Air Force. Brigadier General Lone Traeholt, Commander of Expeditionary Air Staff, took part on behalf of the Commander of the Danish Royal Air Force.
On March 23 Commanders of the Air Forces of the three Baltic states met to discuss further opportunities for strengthening trilateral cooperation and BALTNET.
At the same time Sergeant Majors of the Baltic states', Nordic, Poland and AIRCOM met. Representatives of the Joint Staff, Lithuanian Air Force's structural units took part on Lithuania's behalf, the meeting was also attended by Master Sergeant of the ROyal Netherlands Air Force DEtachment currently policing the Baltic airspace. They addressed matters of NCO corps, the importance of further development of cooperation in the region, training of soldiers and NCOs, and participation in international operations.
The Netherlands is currently conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states with four F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, the four-month rotation began in January 2017. The Baltic Air Policing Mission was launched in March 2004 upon the NATO accession of three Baltic states.
NATO's Headquarters Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) is based in Ramstein, Germany (https://www.airn.nato.int/).
The Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System (BALTNET) comprises the Combined Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) in Karmėlava and national airspace control and reporting posts, radiolocation posts and communication lines in the three Baltic states. In 1998 Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia signed an intergovernmental treaty on a Baltic airspace surveillance system. In 2007 the document was replaced by a trilateral intergovernmental agreement of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on the development of the Baltic Air Control and Surveillance System. The function of BALTNET is to carry out airspace surveillance over the territories of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to provide weaponry control, perform command and control functions and carry out training. That allows the Baltic states to provide efficient control and ensure sovereignty of national airspace, and ensure flight safety. BALTNET exchanges data with corresponding NATO units and is in operation 24/7. BALTNET was connected to the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) in 2004.
As a C2 unit for the three Baltic states, the Combined Control and Reporting Centre in Karmėlava provides control of the NATO Air Policing mission fighter aircraft in the Baltics. The Centre is manned by all three Baltic states (over 50% of the personnel is Lithuanian). The unit is led by an air force officer assigned by the Baltic Chiefs of Defence and rotating every three years (currently a Latvian air force officer).
Photo credits: Lithuanian Air Force Air Base
