Protecting the NATO flank
Bundeswehr: Ten alarm starts over the Baltic Sea since March
April 17, 2024, 6:07 p.m
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German fighter jets have been securing NATO airspace over the Baltics since the beginning of March. Since then, the Bundeswehr has counted ten alarm starts in order to identify Russian military machines without electronic identification. According to the operations leader, the number is “quite normal”.
Since taking over air traffic control over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania at the beginning of March, the Federal Air Force has carried out ten alarm launches over the Baltic NATO states. During the “NATO Air Policing Baltic” the German pilots in their Eurofighter fighter jets identified Russian military aircraft in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea, said the German contingent leader, Lieutenant Colonel Swen Jacob, at the Latvian air force base in Lielvarde. For the first time, an alarm start was carried out together with Sweden as a new NATO member on March 11th.
The Eurofighters are alerted when unknown aircraft without electronic identification or radio contact are near the airspace of the EU and NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which border Russia. For operations on NATO’s eastern flank, the Luftwaffe has stationed five Eurofighters and around 200 soldiers at the military airfield located a good 60 kilometers southeast of the Latvian capital Riga.
“We gain enormous experience”
According to Jacob, the number of alarm starts so far is “completely normal”. “That’s about what we expected,” said the lieutenant colonel. The behavior of the Russian aircraft, which mostly fly back and forth between St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad, is no different than usual. In his personal opinion, however, there are more transport aircraft and fewer fighter jets on the road, said Jacob.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania do not have their own fighter jets. The NATO allies have therefore been alternately securing Baltic airspace since 2004. Germany has repeatedly taken on the task. For the first time this year, the mission will be carried out from the Lielvarde base – by German pilots. “We are very pleased to work with such a professional unit with high morale, high standards and discipline,” said Latvian Air Force Chief Viesturs Masulis. “We gain tremendous experience and knowledge.”