Changes in NATO. The Baltic air police mission has moved to Latvia

NATO's air policing mission in the Baltic region will be partly carried out from the base in Lillevarde, Latvia

NATO forces have moved from Estonia to Latvia as part of NATO's air policing mission in the Baltic region. Over the next nine months, it will patrol the airspace over the Baltic Sea from a base in Lielvarde.

“An unforgettable day for Latvia and NATO. For the first time NATO Air Police It is implemented with Lilvarde Air Base“- wrote the Latvian Defense Minister Andres Sprods On X (formerly Twitter). The politician also thanked the allies for their contribution to protecting NATO airspace and Latvian citizens.

“Airspace is essential to allied deterrence and defence. The ability to conduct missions from multiple locations clearly demonstrates that NATO’s integrated air and missile defense can be agile, agile and credible in defending our airspace,” Sprudes added.

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The mission was transferred to Latvian territory from a base located in neighboring Estonia Al-Amari. Change is temporary. According to the plan, NATO soldiers and allied fighters are scheduled to be stationed in Lielvard. nine months.

What is NATO air police in the Baltic region?

The aim of the NATO Air Police mission in the Baltic region is to patrol the airspace of the Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. This began in 2004, when these countries joined the coalition. Initially, the soldiers were stationed only in Šiauliai, Lithuania. After Russia took control of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, a base was opened in Amari, Estonia.

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The mission operates on a rotational basis. Alliance members send their soldiers on four-month tours. They have them on site Preventing airspace violations And the Baltic countries as well Providing assistance to military and civilian aircraft In emergency cases.

They took command from November 2023 to March of this year Poles change from PKW Orlik XII. Now the mission has passed into the hands of German forces.