From today the Task Force Air Šiauliai "Baltic Thunder" is operational with four interceptor fighters and can ensure the protection of the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the context of the NATO operation "Baltic Air Policing".
After the alternation with the Spanish contingent, which took place on 1 September, with which Italy took over the leadership of the mission, the Air Force reached the full operational capacity of the "scramble" alarm service, with the pilots ready to take off within 15 minutes of activation.
The Italian military, under the command of Colonel Antonio Di Matteo, operate in support of the Air Defense of the three Baltic republics, young members of the Atlantic Alliance not equipped with a complete air defense system.
The technical ground staff work alongside the flight crews, who guarantee the efficiency of the aircraft, as well as all the personnel assigned to logistical, administrative and safety tasks, to ensure the autonomous functioning of the department. Particular attention is given to the prevention measures of COVID-19, in order to protect the health of the personnel involved without affecting the operation of the Task Force Air.
Italy has participated in the missions of Air Policing of NATO, in favor of the members of the Alliance, in the Baltic States and in Iceland.
This delicate mission expresses the ability of the countries of the Alliance, and of Italy as a driving member, to share and optimize the use of means, personnel and operational professionalism, to safeguard the Euro-Atlantic security space, putting in place what the NATO doctrine calls interoperability.
As lead nation Italy is flanked by the German augmentees deployed in Estonia at the Ämari base.
