January 10, Commander of the Lithuanian Navy Capt (Navy) Giedrius Premeneckas took part in a ceremony for welcoming Lithuania as a new addition to the NATO Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO) Headquarters. In 2020-2024 Lithuanian staff officers were posted to STRIKFORNATO HQ on observer rights, while from now on Lithuania becomes a full-fledged member. On the day of the ceremony the Lithuanian representatives and Commander United States 6th Fleet and Commander Striking and Support Forces Rear Admiral Thomas E. Ishee had a bilateral meeting on the security situation in the Baltic Sea region and further cooperation prospects.
Headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal, the NATO Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO) Headquarters was established with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2012 by 13 Allies: Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
STRIKFORNATO HQ delivers on deterrence and the NATO collective defence ensuing joint maritime operational planning and execution, including ballistic missile defence, and integration of strike, including amphibious, capabilities integration of the United States and other NATO Allies that operate aircraft carriers. Besides operational activities, STRIKFORNATO HQ organizes the U.S. BALTOPS exercise which has included the Lithuanian Navy since 1993.
Photo credit: MCPO M. Karpuzovas
