NATO Air - policing mission
A decade-long NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission is more than a security assurance; it is also an excellent example of commitment to collective defence. 14 NATO allies provided 34 rotations of air capabilities to patrol the Baltic airspace over the span of the mission to ensure Lithuania's security. In its turn, Lithuania is fully prepared to render all host nation support required to the contributed air contingents. Another four aircraft, F-16 fighter jets of the Danish Air Force was strengthened the security of the Baltic airspace by patrolling from the Amari Air Base of the Estonian Air Force as of May NATO took the responsibility for the security of the Baltic airspace in March 2004 when Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia became NATO members. NATO allies deploy their air personnel and assets to conduct the Baltic Air Policing mission from the Lithuanian Air Force Air Base in Šiauliai on a rotational basis to fill in the Baltic States' shortage of relevant aircraft for independent protection of national airspace.
NATO Air Policing mission the Baltic States has already been conducted by Belgian, Danish, Czech, UK, Spanish, U.S., Polish, Norwegian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Romanian, Turkish, German and Portugal air contingents. The air assets deployed on the mission maintain a permanent readiness posture to scramble at short notice and take deterrent of other actions against the trespassers.
