The flight assets operating under Task Force Air 4th Wing, engaged in Lithuania on a NATO mandate for the defense of the Baltic skies as part of the mission named Baltic Air Policing, have reached the important milestone of 500 flight hours completed.
Among the assets used at the Lithuanian air base of Šiauliai, the Task Force can count on Eurofighter fighters Typhoon coming from the four wings of the National Air Defense: the 36th of Gioia del Colle, the 37th of Trapani, the 51st of Istrana and the 4th of Grosseto, which maintains the lead of the mission.
The operational mandate of the Euro Fighter Italians in Lithuania began with the achievement of FOC (Full Operational Capability) on August 1st and will continue until the end of November. The milestone of 500 flight hours was achieved after approximately two and a half months of activity in a challenging operational scenario set in a delicate geopolitical and military context, totaling over 20 real activations ("Alpha Scramble").
The important goal achieved testifies to the professionalism and efficiency of the pilots, of the maintenance staff and in general of that of the entire TFA, harmoniously directed in a profitable team effort and appreciated in its results by the Baltic allies and by the entire structure of the BORN.
At the same time, the functionality and reliability of all the aircraft used at the TFA and in particular of the EF-2000, the backbone of the Air Force's airspace defense capabilities, can be considered confirmed.
Italy has been engaged in NATO Air Policing operations for years, in which it operates on a rotational basis alternating with other allied nations. Over the years it has deployed in all the theaters where there is a mission Air Policing.
As for Lithuania, the Air Force had already served in Šiauliai in 2015 and 2020-21. The Baltic theater constitutes a precious context for the professional growth of Italian pilots, in terms of sorties carried out, operational experience, training and procedural standardization.
