On January 3 a formal rotation ceremony was held at the Šiauliai Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force to transfer NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission from Czech airmen to a Danish Air Contingent.
"Denmark has been an important Lithuania's partner for a long time, the country is also one of the most frequent participants of the Baltic Air Policing mission", said Political Director of the Ministry of National Defence Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis at the change of rotations ceremony. He welcomed the incoming military personnel and civilian representatives of Denmark delegating its national capabilities to protect the Baltic skies for the fourth time.
On January 2 four F-16 fighter jets of the Royal Danish Air Force landed in the Šiauliai Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force to guard Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian airspace for the next four months. The Danish Royal Air Force deployed the Air Contingent from the Skrydstrup Air Base.
At the rotation ceremony Political Director of the Ministry of National Defence Dr. V. Urbelis thanked Czech civilian and military representatives for the participation in the Baltic Air Policing mission and for Denmark's solidarity with the Baltic States demonstrated thereby. The outgoing Czech rotation have been protecting the Baltic skies from 31 August 2012.
The ceremony of rotation of contingents deployed on the Baltic Air Policing mission was attended by representatives of the Czech, Danish and the U.S. Embassies in Lithuania, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Major General Edvardas Mažeikis and the leadership of the city and district of Šiauliai.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia share the costs of the Host Nation Support (HNS) they provide jointly to the Baltic Air Policing mission approximately equally. In 2011 the total HNS cost amounted to approximately EUR 2.2m. The countries have also agreed to gradually increase the spending to yearly allocations of approximately EUR 3.5m which would be shared equally.
On February 8, 2012 the North Atlantic Council adopted a decision to extend the Baltic Air Policing mission indefinitely.
Photos by MSgt Alvydas Tamošiūnas and Antanas Gedrimas (LITHAF AB)
