Home  /  Newsroom  /  2022  /  Danish Air Force detachment joins NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltics

RAMSTEIN, Germany – The Royal Danish Air Force will once again augment NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission with four F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters aircraft in Lithuania. On January 28 a welcome ceremony for the Danish detachment was held at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania.

We live in turbulent times. However, I am confident that NATO and Allies will respond to Russia's aggressive actions appropriately. Including through strengthening of collective defence in NATO's Eastern flank, said Arvydas Anušauskas Lithuanian Minister of National Defence.

Denmark made the decision to send an augmentation detachment to the NATO Air Policing mission this month in the context of the current crisis caused by Russia's continuing military build-up near Ukraine. The NATO Secretary General welcomed this demonstration of Denmark's enduring commitment to the Alliance's collective defence posture.

Arvydas Anušauskas Lithuanian Minister of National Defence. Photo by: Alfredas Pliadis

Two Danish F-16 flying over the Baltic sea during their last detachment in December 2021. Photo by: Rune Dyrholm

"We live in turbulent times. However, I am confident that NATO and Allies will respond to Russia's aggressive actions appropriately. Including through strengthening of collective defence in NATO's Eastern flank," said Arvydas Anušauskas Lithuanian Minister of National Defence.

The Royal Danish Air Force are conducting the Air Policing mission in the Baltics for the ninth time. The Danish deployment will number approximately 80 service members, including pilots, engineers, paramedics and other personnel. They will work alongside the leading Polish air detachment in Lithuania and the augmenting Belgian air detachment in Estonia. Both nations operate four F-16 fighter aircraft and have been protecting the Baltic skies since December 2021.

NATO allies started deploying military personnel and fighter aircraft to guard the Baltic airspace in March 2004 as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia became members of NATO. Fourteen NATO Allies have guarded the Baltic skies since then and the current rotation of fighters is the 58^th since the mission was launched