2014-03-17 22:42:10
RAF Typhoon's and Polish MiG's together in the NATO Air Policing
Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed that his British counterpart, Secretary Philip Hammond suggested that the Royal Air Force took part in the security operation of an airspace over the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) together with the Polish pilots. The declaration is to be an expression of solidarity with allies located in the vicinity of the Ukrainian- Russian conflict about of Crimea.
At the end of April, RAF Eurofighter aircrafts are supposed to fly to the base of Siauliai in Lithuania. From the first of May, Polish MiG-29 fighter aircrafts from the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork are to begin the combat duty in NATO Baltic Air Policing.
This is the fifth Polish contingent (codename Orlik) under the Baltic Air Policing and the third of the MiG airplanes from Malbork. So far, the Polish party in Lithuania have directed only the MiG- 29 fighter jets from the bases in Malbork or Minsk Mazowiecki.
The crews have been preparing for some time for the task. Therefore, they do not participate in the common Polish-American air exercises with the participation of 12 F-16's USAF. At the moment there is no decision whether the Polish component in Lithuania, which will extend his four-month service on the first of May, will be strengthened. It usually consists of four combat aircrafts and about 100 people.
The Poles and possibly the British will replace F- 15C USAF in the operation.
Dziennik Zbrojny
