[Disarmo] L'Italia va alla guerra, nel Baltico - stopnato Digest Number 5224

[Jure Ellero LT <glry at ngi.it>]

FONTE:

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Air Command
January 5, 2015


Jure


--------  Messaggio

Oggetto: [stopnato] Digest Number 5224
Data: 7 Jan 2015 09:37:00 -0000
Mittente: stopnato at yahoogroups.com



 Italian Warplanes Join NATO's Expanding Baltic Air Mission
    Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff at yahoo.com rwrozoff
    Date: Tue Jan 6, 2015 5:36 am ((PST))

http://www.aco.nato.int/end-of-2014-marks-handover-with-natos-baltic-air-policing-mission.aspx


North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Air Command
January 5, 2015



End of 2014 marks handover with NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission


RAMSTEIN, Germany: As 2014 drew to a close, so did the 36th rotation of 
the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission. In a ceremony held at 
Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, on 31 December 2014, the Portuguese Air 
Force handed over the responsibility of Baltic Air Policing to the 
Italian Air Force.

"For a decade, NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission has been more than 
security assurance to the Baltic States,” said Colonel Audronis 
Navickas, Lithuanian Air Force Commander. "This collective effort is a 
good example demonstrating Alliance solidarity and commitment to provide 
the same standards of security to all its members.”

Four Portuguese F-16 aircraft, augmented by four Canadian CF-188 
fighters, policed the skies over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania since 
September. Together with the two other augmenting Allies – Germany with 
Eurofighter aircraft out of Ämari Air Base, Estonia, and the Netherlands 
with F-16 jets out of Malbork, Poland – the NATO fighters conducted 
about 70 intercepts over the Baltic Sea.

"We achieved a clear ‘mission accomplished’ here at Šiauliai,” stated 
Portuguese Detachment Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco "Seeker” 
Dionisio. Adding, "More than 300 flight hours safely performed in over 
150 sorties plus an added value from training performed with local and 
deployed forces show NATO’s greatest strength – joint air operations in 
a safe and efficient way.”


As of January 1st, Italy is at the helm of Baltic Air Policing with four 
Eurofighter jets. This is the first time Italy has taken part in this 
NATO mission which started in 2004 when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania 
joined NATO.

"First of all I want to thank the Lithuanian Air Force for the warm 
welcome,” says the Italian Detachment Commander, Colonel Marco Bertoli. 
"The Baltic Air Policing mission is very important for my air force. 
Italy is now the first Ally to participate in all of NATO’s Interim Air 
Policing activities conducted over Albania, Slovenia and Iceland and – 
of course – over the three Baltic States”.

On 5 January, Polish MiG-29 fighter aircraft arrived once again at 
Šiauliai to augment the NATO mission that will last until the end of 
April. The Polish Air Force was the lead nation for the fifth time from 
May to September 2014.

In May 2014, NATO increased the number of Allied fighter aircraft 
conducting Baltic Air Policing in line with its assurance measures.

To complete the 37th rotation, Spanish Eurofighters arrived at Ämari, 
Estonia on 30 December to take over from the German Eurofighters, and 
Belgian F-16s will relieve the Dutch F-16s at Malbork, Poland later this 
month.

Story by HQ AIRCOM Public Affairs Office


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