Turkey leads NATOs Air Policing mission
in the Baltic States

MONS, Belgium-- Four Turkish F-16 fighters arrived in Lithuania last week to replace the four Polish Mig-29 aircraft that have been patrolling the air space of the Baltic States for the last three months.

This 77-person strong detachment, which includes pilots, controllers and support personnel, constitutes the ninth air policing rotation deployed by NATO since Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania joined the Alliance in April 2004.

NATO’s air interceptor deployment to the Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania , was established to grant the Baltic States the same level of air defence as the rest of the Alliance . It was the first and immediate benefit of collective defence provided by their new membership.

Seven northern member countries and the United States have provided 24/7, all weather air intercept capability on a three-month rotational basis since spring 2004. Turkey is the first southern member to join this collective effort. Spain is scheduled to take over the patrolling mission in August.