Lithuanian Air Force (LTAF)

The mission of the LTAF is to survey, guard and defend the airspace of Lithuania, to support the Lithuanian Land and Naval Forces, to carry out search and rescue and special operations, to airlift cargo and personnel (military and civil servants). The Lithuanian Air Force (LTAF) is an integral part of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The LTAF is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units are located at various bases across Lithuania. The LTAF Headquarters and the Air Space Surveillance and Control Command are located in Kaunas, while the Air Space Control Centre is stationed near by in Karmëlava. LATF Air Base and Air Force Armament and Equipment Repair Depot are located in Šiauliai. The strength of the Lithuanian Air Force is currently some 1000 professional military servicemen and non-military personnel.

The surveillance and control of the country’s airspace, the groundbased air defence of vital civilian and military objects, the air transportation of troops and cargo, search and rescue, support for special operations, and host nation support to Allied Forces, are all the responsibility of the Lithuanian Air Force. It is developing into a mission-tailored service with modern weaponry and equipment manned by well-trained professionals. About 1,300 professional troops and civilians serve and work for the Air Force. It has 15 aircraft , with units deployed all over the country.

The Air Force consists of the Airspace Surveillance and Control Command, the Air Base, the Air Defence Battalion, the Armaments and Equipment Maintenance and Repair Depot, and the Training Centre. Lithuania’s National Airspace Control Centre is a constituent part of the Baltic Air Surveillance Network (BALTNET), which is an integral part of the NATO Integrated and Extended Air Defence System. Located in Lithuania, the internationally staffed Control and Reporting Centre for the three Baltic States is designed to conduct air surveillance and weapons control operations.

The BALTNET is connected to the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS). Initially the main unit of the Baltic Airspace Surveillance System is the Regional Airspace Surveillance Coordination Centre (RASCC), based in Karmëlava. This unit gathers radiolocation information from the radar systems of all three Baltic States, creating a common air image of the Baltic States and exchanging this picture with other NATO centres. It provides a constant surveillance of Lithuanian airspace and its immediate neighbourhood, ensuring a smooth execution of the Air Policing mission. The Baltic States have jointly procured the equipment necessary for the control of air missions so that it would be possible to control the fighter jets safeguarding the Baltic airspace from the RASCC. This equipment is of crucial importance to ensure adequate host nation support to the Allied forces. The Baltic States committed themselves to take over the control function of the fighter jets by the end of 2006. The trilateral RASCC was reorganised into a NATO Command and Reporting Centre (CRC).

Lithuania is a part of NATO airspace, and its integrity is protected in accordance with the Alliance’s standards. Since the Air Force lacks its own fighter aircraft capable of executing air patrols, other NATO members provide combat aircraft and personnel. The NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States contributes to the security and integrity of NATO airspace and is a good example of solidarity among NATO members. The mission is conducted on a rotational basis, and host nation support is provided by the Air Force base near Šiauliai.

NATO took the responsibility for the security of the Baltic airspace in March 2004 when Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia became NATO members. NATO allies deploy their air personnel and assets to conduct the Baltic Air Policing mission from the Lithuanian Air Force Air Base in Šiauliai on a rotational basis to fill in the Baltic States' shortage of relevant aircraft for independent protection of national airspace. NATO Air Policing mission the Baltic States has already been conducted by Belgian, Danish, Czech, UK, Spanish, U.S., Polish, Norwegian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Romanian, Turkish, and German air contingents. The air assets deployed on the mission maintain a permanent readiness posture to scramble at short notice and take deterrent of other actions against the trespassers. In February 2012 the North Atlantic Council approved the Baltic Air Policing mission to be long-term. Before the extension the mission was mandated till 2014.

Another responsibility of the Air Force is tactical air transportation. The fleet of transport aircraft is being upgraded to strengthen its capabilities for transportation tasks, including troops and cargo transport to units deployed in international operations. The Air Force has experience in this fi eld, since it has contributed to the NATO Stabilisation Force operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the NATO operation in Kosovo by assigning one An-26 tactical transport aircraft in the period 2001 to 2003. The state-of-the-art C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft are the latest acquisition for the Lithuanian military air fleet. In order to strengthen its search and rescue capabilities, the helicopter fleet is being modernised.

The Air Defence Battalion is also being strengthened, as its main tasks are protecting the airspace over important national objects and supporting ground troops with surface-to-air firepower. The Air Defence Battalion, formed in 2000, is located in the Šiauliai District. While developing and strengthening air defence capabilities of the Lithuanian Air Force (LTAF), focus was also paid on organisation of air defence by establishing an air defence battalion. In 1998, efforts to develop and strengthen the LTAF defnce capabilities began. That same year, Swedish Defence officials offered to donate weaponry, technical documentation and training programmes to for a battalion. At this time, the idea of establishing the battalion started to become a reality. From 1999 to 2000 a group of LTAF troops took studies in military training institutions units in Sweden, where they received theoretical knowledge and practical experience working with battalion weaponry.

In July 2000, the LTAF established the Air Defence Battalion. In September 2000, the Battalion received the first consignment of combat equipment from Sweden. Another shipment of combat equipment and ammunition arrived at the end of 2000. According to the bilateral agreement with Sweden, Swedish advisers who help Lithuanians adapt to the battalion's equipment presently work in the Air Defence Battalion.

The task of the Lithuanian Air force Air base is to survey, guard and defend the airspace of Lithuania, to support the Lithuanian Land and Naval Forces, to carry out search and rescue and special operations, to airlift cargo and personnel (military and civil servants), to keep fully functional the airdrome 24/7, provide host nation support to NATO, EU units, maintain command and control procedures during the air policing missions.

The Air base is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. The base is located in Šiauliai city, two search and rescue posts are in Kaunas and in Nemirseta (Klaipeda district). The Air base consists of HQ, Air operation group and Operational support group. The Air base operates following aircrafts: Letov L-410 UVP Turbolet, Mi-8MTV, C-27J Spartan, L-39ZA Albatross, An-2, Yak-18T and Yak-52.

On 21 October 2009 the third of the three C-27J "Spartan" aircrafts purchased by the Lithuanian Air Force was introduced, named and christened in a ceremony at the of LAF Šiauliai Air Base. At the ceremony attended Minister of National Defence Rasa Jukneviciene, Chief of Defence Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Brig. Gen. Arturas Leita and representatives of the Italian Company "Alenia Aeronautika S.p.a". A name was bestowed on the last of the three aircrafts just like on its predecessors, "Gediminas" and "Algirdas". The new aircraft is named "Vytautas", the Grand Duke of Lithuania, to celebrate the names of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania as well as to commemorate the Millennium of the Name of Lithuania. The new C-27J „Spartan" was blessed by the Chaplain of the Lithuanian Air Force Maj. Virginijus Veilentas.