US Takes Over Baltic Air Policing Mission on Russia’s Borders

US Takes Over Baltic Air Policing Mission on Russia’s Borders (Source defensetech.org) The U.S. will take over the Baltic air policing mission next month in an effort to guard airspace over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, U.S. European Command said Wednesday. ” Air Force  “http://www.military.com/equipment/f-15-eagle” F-15C Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing,  “http://www.military.com/base-guide/raf-lakenheath” RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, will lead the next NATO Baltic Air Policing rotation at Air Base in Lithuania, EUCOM said. The F-15s, acting as a quick reactionary force, will surveil the air until the end of the year. The US last was part of the Baltic Air Policing mission in 2014, the same time Russia annexed Crimea. The Air Force’s obligations to the Baltic countries — which lack capable air forces — came under scrutiny last year after then-President-elect Donald Trump criticized the U.S. for acting as the backbone to the NATO alliance, and left the door open on whether he would defend countries he deemed as not properly contributing. Then-Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James in December touted the policing mission as critical, given that the Russian air force conducted a flurry of unsafe maneuvers and flybys near or over the unprotected airspace.

 

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