As part of a NATO mission, France will deploy four Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Lithuania starting November 28.
The aircraft will join a detachment of around a hundred airmen in support of Lithuanian forces and NATO partners. This is the tenth time the French Air and Space Force has contributed to the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, established in 2004 to preserve the airspace of Baltic countries.
The BAP was strengthened in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea with enhanced air control measures. Ships and crews from Poland, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Lithuania worked closely with the Estonian Navy during naval training operations. They spent about 120 hours in Estonian waters, searching for, identifying, and neutralising unexploded ordnance. An area of over 22 square miles was searched, with 228 objects identified as potential munitions and 16 positively identified and neutralised. The Baltic Sea was intensely mined during the world wars, and Estonian waters provide a valuable opportunity for training and enhancing combat readiness of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1.
Lithuania’s strategic importance for NATO is underscored by its geographic location at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and the Baltic region. Serving as a frontline state facing potential security challenges, Lithuania actively contributes to NATO’s collective defence efforts. The country shares borders with Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, making it a key player in addressing regional security concerns. Lithuania’s commitment to NATO is evident through its participation in international peacekeeping missions, meeting defence spending targets, and hosting multinational battlegroups as part of NATO’s enhanced forward presence in the Baltic region. Additionally, Lithuania plays a significant role in strengthening NATO’s cybersecurity capabilities and upholds democratic values, aligning with the alliance’s broader mission. Overall, Lithuania’s contributions enhance NATO’s readiness, interoperability, and collective defence posture in the Baltic region and beyond.
