Commander Vincent is in the middle of a discussion when the alarm siren sounds at the Siauliai air base in Lithuania. « Alpha scramble, Alpha scramble (real alert),” a metallic voice yells over the speakerphone. The Rafale pilot’s pulse quickens. In a handful of minutes, this soldier from the 30th fighter squadron of Mont-de-Marsan and his young teammate nicknamed “Tepal” put on the four layers of the suit which protect against the rigors of winter and a possible landing of emergency in the Baltic Sea. And about ten minutes later, their Rafale took off from the runway surrounded by a solid layer of snow, without yet knowing the exact purpose of their mission. Almost routine…
Commander Vincent took up residence in Lithuania at the end of November, after flying over northern Europe and the Niemen River. It belongs to the French detachment comprising four Rafales, six fighter pilots and a hundred mechanics, commandos, firefighters and other specialists in information and communication systems. Installed on the country’s only military airfield, this “little Gallic village” ensures the safety of the skies above the three Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) from December to March, alongside the 4 combat aircraft dispatched by the Polish. Four German fighters, installed in Estonia, complete NATO’s defense system in northeastern Europe.
“We are the policemen of the sky”
In Siauliai, European reinforcements are part of the landscape. The air policing mission was launched in 2004 when the three Baltic States, newly admitted to the Atlantic Alliance, delegated the protection of their airspace to other member countries. “It would be too expensive to maintain combat aircraftexplains the Lithuanian commander of the Siauliai base, Eligijus Rusnaitis. The presence of NATO is reassuring for us who live next to Russia, a neighbor whose behavior remains unpredictable. » In covert words, some local soldiers say they hope for the defeat of Russia in Ukraine. The memory of the Soviet Union, perceived here as an “occupation”, has left painful memories for many Lithuanians.
In the French detachment, we prefer to insist on the “deterrent” dimension of the mission. “We are defending NATO territory as we would for French territory”explains Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan, at the head of the deployment, who notes the similarity of control and intervention procedures between the Baltic countries and France. “We are the policemen of the sky”adds Commander Vincent at his side: “We monitor Russian military aircraft that use the air corridors without communicating with the authorities responsible for air traffic control. »
Siauliai Air Base is located in Lithuania.
“We are not at war with Russia”
That day, the Rafales armed with Commander Vincent and his teammate watched a Russian army plane, type SU-34. Leaving on the orders of the NATO Air Operations Command Center (Caoc) based in Germany, the two Rafales accompanied him for a few minutes to gauge the situation. The behavior of the Russian pilot was ultimately qualified as ” passive “ In other words, the fighter plane which left the enclave of Kaliningrad continued on its way to Saint-Petersburg by taking the air corridor of Lithuanian space open to foreign military aircraft. “For our part, we must avoid any aggressive behavior that would aggravate the situationrecalls a French officer. We are not at war with Russia. »
On his return to base, an hour and a half later, Commander Vincent slips his camera to an information specialist. “There are two or three interesting things”, he said to him. This is his second such intervention since the start of the mission on 1 December. After doubling in the aftermath of the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Russian air force activity over the Baltic has fallen back to more usual levels.
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In Romania, the other French deployment
As part of NATO’s eastern flank defense and the Aigle mission, France has deployed a thousand soldiers in Romania where it plays the role of “framework” nation, that is to say responsible.
For the first time, a dozen Leclerc tanks were deployed at the Romanian base of Cincu, in the Carpathians, in order to train for the war of “high intensity”.
In Estonia, France also has about 300 soldiers as part of the Lynx mission, which is led by the British.