2024-07-27 05:44:28
Italian troops will carry out the patrol mission with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, replacing the Spanish and Portuguese contingents that led the mission with a total of 12 fighters for the previous four months.
The contingent will include 200 Italian soldiers, including pilots, technical staff, medics, support teams, communications and other specialists.
Italy will conduct a NATO patrol mission in the airspace of the Baltic states for the ninth time.
NATO members have been patrolling the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia on a rotational basis since March 2004, when the Baltic states were admitted to the alliance. Since 2004, patrolling has been carried out from the Šiauliai air base in Lithuania, but since 2014, the support mission has also been carried out from the Emari base in Estonia.
While the Emari base is being renovated, support for the patrol mission is being carried out from Lielvārde.
As Russia continues its war in Ukraine, allied fighter jets stationed in the Baltic States not only respond to the illegal entry of Russian military aircraft into the airspace of the Baltic States, but also patrol the airspace near the Russian-Belarusian border.
In response to Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine, since March 2022, NATO has strengthened airspace protection, increased the number of soldiers and fighter jets.
2024-07-27 05:44:28