Czech JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft are now augmenting Baltic Air Policing after taking over from the British Typhoon detachment.
In front of senior political and military representatives from Estonia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and NATO, the Royal Air Force handed over the mission to their successors from the Czech Air Force during an official ceremony on September the 2nd at Ämari Air Base, Estonia.
“This Czech Air Force detachment is the 17th consecutive deployment Estonia hosted since 2014, when the superb air base of Ämari was activated as an additional NATO base in the Baltic region,” said NATO representative, Polish Air Force Brigadier General Slavomir Zakowski, deputy commander Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, Germany.
“We have demonstrated NATO’s interoperability amongst our forces and shown that we are united and resolute to protect all our Allies,” he added.
NATO and the Allies launched the Air Policing mission from the moment of the accession of the three Baltic States in order to police their airspace and provide protection.
According to a NATO release, Mr Jüri Luik, Estonian Minister of Defence commended NATO and the Allies for launching the Air Policing mission “from the moment of the accession of the three Baltic States.” He then thanked the Royal Air Force detachment for “their excellent service safeguarding the sovereignty of the NATO airspace over the Baltic States” and welcomed the Czech detachment “who joined the ranks of Allied nations operating Baltic Air Policing from Ämari.”
O/T: I’m a bit surprised there has been no coverage of RFA Mounts Bay’s work in the Bahamas on UKDJ yet. While I’m sure Czech AF deployment may be of interest to some, its only link to the UK seems to be that its taking over from the RAF. When UK defence is always having to compete to get public mind-share and funding, notwithstanding this weeks additional funding, it seems an omission to not cover the Bahamas work from a site devoted to the subject.
Meanwhile Mounts Bay’s crew seem to be doing sterling work. It seems they had a Wildcat up about as soon as it was possible after the hurricane passed over the Bahamas on 9/3, and have been landing supplies and equipment since.
Updates on Twitter under RFAMountsBay, I’ve given up posting links as the posts just disappear, presumably into anti-spam purgatory.
Many thanks GHF. I have read nothing about this deployment and have wondered what the U.K. is doing to help. I am sure Mounts Bay has all our best wishes for this demanding mission.
Save the Royal Navy has footage on Youtube of the mission. Looks like they are doing sterling work in assisting the Bahamas.
Thank you. The armed services really do us proud. I wish the nation could match their service with something like a ‘duty of welfare’ when they come out.
Reported on both BBC and SKY news. The latter had videos posted.