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NATO Shifts Baltic Air Policing to Broader Air Defense Mission
๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡น Lithuania /Conflict & Security

NATO Shifts Baltic Air Policing to Broader Air Defense Mission

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • NATO is transitioning its Baltic air policing mission to a broader air defense mission after 22 years, following a summit in Ankara.
  • The new mission aims to counter hybrid threats and potential future challenges, including drone incursions and missile threats.
  • The enhanced mission provides NATO greater flexibility to respond to security changes, employing a multi-layered approach across all domains.

After 22 years, NATO is evolving its air policing mission in the Baltic states into a more comprehensive air defense mission. This strategic shift, announced after a summit in Ankara, reflects the changing security landscape and the need to address a wider range of threats.

The air policing mission is essentially for peacetime circumstances. However, currently, Lithuania is experiencing various hybrid challenges, for example, drone deviations into the Baltic countries.

โ€” Gitanas Nausฤ—daExplaining the need for a transition from air policing to a broader air defense mission.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausฤ—da highlighted that the original air policing mission was designed for peacetime. However, he noted that Lithuania currently faces various hybrid challenges, such as drone deviations into Baltic airspace, and anticipates future threats. Nausฤ—da advocated for participating nations to adopt broader mandates and be prepared to neutralize objects posing a risk to security.

A NATO official explained to Delfi that the alliance is strengthening its integrated air and missile defense across the board. While the previous air policing mission primarily protected against manned and unmanned aircraft, the new air defense mission will safeguard NATO territory against all threats in all domains. This includes manned and unmanned systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Air policing missions primarily protect against manned and unmanned aircraft in the airspace, while air defense missions protect Alliance territory against all types of threats in all domains, including threats posed by manned and unmanned air systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

โ€” NATO officialDifferentiating the scope and capabilities of the new air defense mission compared to the previous air policing mission.

The enhanced air defense strategy offers NATO greater flexibility to adapt to evolving security environments. It involves a multi-layered, 360-degree approach utilizing resources and capabilities across all operational areas. This includes quick reaction alert aircraft, naval and ground-based air and missile defense systems, and counter-unmanned aerial system measures. NATO fighter jets continue operations under the enhanced vigilance program "Eastern Sentry," with French and Romanian Rafale and F-16s stationed in Lithuania, and Portuguese F-16s in Estonia.

This provides NATO with greater flexibility to respond to changes in the security environment.

โ€” NATO officialDescribing the advantage of the enhanced air defense mission.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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