8 December 2016, 14:10 GMT
VILNIUS (Sputnik) – NATO air police mission in Lithuania has been conducted by four French fighter jets Mirage 2000 since September while several German Eurofighter Typhoon jets are carrying out the mission from Estonian base.
"The contingent of the Netherlands’ Air Force will carry out the NATO's Baltic air police mission with F-16 fighter jets from Siauliai airbase since January 2017," the ministry said.
The Defense Ministry added that Netherlands’ Air Forces conducted the NATO’s air police mission in Lithuania in 2005 for the first time. Four Dutch’ fighter jets had been carrying out the mission in Poland between September-December 2014.
The Baltic states do not have the aircraft fleet to conduct air police missions, therefore NATO jets are entrusted with responsibility to ensure security in the airspace since April 2004.
