Four Belgian Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft touched down at Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania on the 29th of August 2019 to take over the lead of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing from the Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 fighter aircraft.
The Belgian Air Force, which back in 2004 was the first Ally to start NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission in the region, will be the lead nation for the last four months in 2019. The official handover-takeover ceremony of the mission took place at Šiauliai Air Base on the 3rd of September 2019.
“It is great for Belgium to be back here in the Baltics,” said Major Simon Gerard, Detachment Commander of the 60-strong Belgian F-16 detachment.
“We never really left since the region as the upcoming deployment will be the ninth for our jets to contribute to NATO’s peacetime mission here safeguarding Allied airspace. We look forward to working with our Danish and Czech colleagues and of course our Lithuanian hosts.”
I did not know Belgium had any aircraft left spare to be deployed on overseas operations?
After so many of their F-16’s, either damage or destroyed!
Yeah the Belgian ground crew destroying that F16s by accidentally firing the gun lol! Deafening two ground crew in the process! What a balls up that was!! Imagine the stick they got for that.
Well at least a few members of the Belgium military can claim to have fired weapons!!! Lol! NATO medal issued and a book soon to follow!
Something for the CV also lol
The Belgium AF probably has more fighters operational than the German AF does. haha
Russia hasn’t the balls to try anything, I really don’t know why people get their pantys all twisted about it… Russia was our Allie in WW2! Ok the Russians were also german allies in the beginning until Hitler changed his mind, only if Russia and Germany stayed allies and Germany got all the Russian grain and oil! Another one of Hitler’s monumental mistakes…. oops I went off topic again!!
Ask the Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, and Georgians if “Russia hasn’t the balls to try anything.”
Russian doesn’t know the meaning of the word ally. Is there even a word for it in their language? lol
Are they still the Belgium Air Componment or have they reverted back to the title Belgium Air Force?
They were neither, ever…