LITHUANIA: Polish fighter-jets arrive at Lithuanian aribase

Record ID: 599646

  • Title: LITHUANIA: Polish fighter-jets arrive at Lithuanian aribase
  • Date: 29th April 2014
  • Summary: NATO MILITARY BASE, SIAULIAI, LITHUANIA (APRIL 29, 2014) (REUTERS) TWO POLISH MIG-29 JETS FLYING IN THE SKY VARIOUS OF US F15C AND BRITISH EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON JETS ON TARMAC US JET MISSILES OF F15C BRITISH EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON POLISH MIG-29 LANDING VARIOUS OF MIG-29 TAXIING VARIOUS OF MIG-29 BEING PUSHED BACKWARDS INTO HANGAR POLISH PILOTS WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA CAMER
  • Embargoed: 14th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lithuania
  • Country: Lithuania
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVATF5BSAZ18R1MK6TMZ8N3X1ME
  • Story Text: Four Polish fighter-jets landed at the Lithuanian Air Force Aviation Base in Siauliai on Tuesday (April 29) to help out with a NATO air-policing mission.
    The Polish aviators take over the patrolling of the Baltic skies from US airmen after they have finished their four-month mission. The official changeover ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday (April 30).
    The deputy commander of the Polish troops, Colonel Lieutenant Piotr Wyrembski, said his team are ready for hard work.
    "In short, the most important goal of our mission is the defence of the airspace of NATO countries, including the Baltic states, in whose territory we are now. We need to remember that our mission is not only to prevent a violation of the protected airspace from other airplanes, which don't have a right to enter, but also to assist the planes which sometimes ask for the help, which sometimes lose territorial orientation or which have some technical problems with their planes, communication or in similar cases," he told journalists after arriving at the air base.
    The Polish fighter-jets will be supported by four Eurofighter Typhoon jets of the British Royal Air Force, which have arrived already in Siauliai on Monday (April 28).
    Denmark is expected to send four F-16 fighter-jets to Estonia, France will deploy four Rafales on stand-by in Poland, ready to join the air-policing mission.
    Commander of the Zokniai airbase, Lieutenant Colonel Vidmantas Raklevicius, said he was looking forward to working with the Polish troops.
    "This is the fifth time they have come here. The earlier cooperation was very close, very good and constructive. Our military relationship is strong, we are very happy that the Polish are coming here," he said.
    NATO has stepped up efforts in the Baltics to reassure its allies in the face of Russian tensions with the West over Ukraine.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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