Four Dutch F-16s have circled Lithuanian skies for the past four months to help ensure regional security, but now the Polish Air Force will fulfill that role.
In the past, Poland has committed MiG-29 fighters to police Baltic skies. Since Lithuania became a part of NATO in 2004, Poland’s air force crews have conducted security missions in the Baltic six times; the latest deployment is the seventh.
The Siauliai air base will see Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Vytautas Umbrasas welcome the new fleet of Polish jets. According to the Baltic Times, 17 NATO members have taken turns helping patrol Lithuania since the nation joined the alliance.
