NATO Air - policing mission

On April 30 Francel take over NATO's air policing tasks in Lithuania's, Latvia's and Estonia's airspace. A French Air Contingent  officially take over the Baltic Air Policing mission from the Royal Danish Air Force (Dan. Flyvevåbnet) at a rotation ceremony in the Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force in Šiauliai.

The ceremony was conducted in attendance of Vice Minister of National Defence Marijus Velička, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Major General Edvardas Mažeikis, Deputy Commander of Air Defence and Air Operations for the French Air Force (Fra. Armée de l'Air - ALA), Major General Dominique de Longvilliers, Ambassadors of France in Estonia and Latvia HE Frédéric Billet and HE Stéphane Visconti respectively, representatives of the Embassies of Denmark and the U.S.A. in Lithuania and leadership of the municipality of Šiauliai and the administration of Šiauliai district.

France was providing air assets and personnel for the Baltic Air Policing mission for the fourth time since March 2009 when NATO's fighter-jets began patrolling the Baltic skies as a result of Lithuania's, Latvia's and Estonia's accession to NATO.

The French Air Force will deploy 4 "Mirage" F-1CR fighter-jets and 80 troops from Mont de Marsan Air Base in southern France. Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vinot-Prefontaine will head the French Air Contingent for the first two months of the rotation.

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, and German 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. 

This February the North Atlantic Council approved the Baltic Air Policing mission to be long-term. Before the extension the mission was mandated till 2014.

2012