The French air capabilities are deployed to patrol the airspace above Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia from Mont De Marsan Air Base of the French Air Force, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry has said. With this rotation, France will take part with its air assets and personnel in the Baltic Air Policing mission for the fourth time.
According to the press release, the French contingent will replace Danish aviators who have been guarding the Baltic skies since January 1.
As the three Baltic nations have no suitable aircrafts for guarding their airspace, airmen from other NATO member-states have been performing response air force functions since their accession to the Alliance in 2004. Air forces of 14 NATO countries have served shifts in the mission, which is based in the aviation base near Šiauliai, northern Lithuania.
