The Baltic Air Policing mission follows
a rhythm of its own, somewhat
independent of the tensions in the
region. Within the scope of that
mission, the Baltic states' airspace
is protected by the allies, within the
framework of 4-month long rotations.
The current, 58th rotation is led by
the Poles - the Polish PKW Orlik 10
contingent detached from the 2nd
Tactical Air Wing, specifically from
the 31st Tactical Airbase in Krzesiny.
This is the third time when Lithuanian
Šiauliai AFB becomes a base for the
Polish F-16s. One time they were also
deployed to Amari AFB. Belgium is
acting as the augmenting nation, with
its F-16 MLU jets deployed to Amari.
The Amari deployment is handled,
rotationally, by the 349th and 1st
Squadron of the Belgian Air Force.
Surprisingly, ever since the beginning
of the war in Ukraine, the rotation
has been quite peaceful, with rare
movements of the Russian assets
from and to the Kaliningrad Oblast.
QRA sorties were not as frequent as
expected. As the expected date of the
start of hostilities came closer, more
allied assets have been deployed
in the region. The Danes came to
Siauliai first. They had passed on
the proverbial baton a few weeks
earlier, leaving Lithuania to Poles to
supervise. The traditional ceremony
involves a transfer of the „key to
the Baltic Airspace". The mission
involved 727th and 730th Squadrons,
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