[ad_1]
President Gitanas Nausėda spoke about the fact that Lithuania is increasingly striving to strengthen its air defense capabilities and giving it priority attention during a visit to the Air Force Aviation Base in Šiauliai on Tuesday.
“We will continue to do our best to be safe. We are aware that deterrence works only when a potential opponent knows that, in the event of aggression, they will face strong will, appropriate defense capabilities tested in the exercise,” quoted G. Nausėda in the report.
At the aviation base, the President also met with soldiers from Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, as well as Lithuania and the United States, who carry out NATO’s air surveillance mission in the Baltic States.
According to the President, the serious approach of defense of the countries of the region and the efforts of the United States to develop an integrated air defense architecture testify that the security of the Baltic States and Poland is considered a vital part of the security of The alliance.
“The Baltic Air Surveillance Mission is a great example of NATO solidarity. Rotating contingents of soldiers from various countries with the latest military equipment demonstrate the inexhaustible commitment of Alliance countries to protecting the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, “said the President.
Lithuania purchased the NASAMS mid-range air defense system, which is the most widely used in NATO countries, under an agreement signed on October 26, 2017 between the Ministry of National Defense and the Norwegian company Kongsberg, the value of which it is 110 million. euros
The purchased system consists of fire control centers, rocket launchers, communication equipment, and when purchasing these systems the RBS-70 short-range air defense system was purchased, which was modernized and is currently used in the Lithuanian Armed Forces .
Both systems will be integrated into a common Lithuanian air defense shield.
Air defense systems arrived in Lithuania in June. Staff training is slated to be completed by 2021 and weapons integration into NATO’s unified air defense system will begin.
The NATO Tobruq Legacy International Exercise is held each year in different Alliance countries. They train interoperability between NATO ground air defense units and improve airspace command and control procedures. The exercise aims to improve the international and regional integrity of joint capabilities, empowering and strengthening preparedness for a possible NATO collective defense scenario.
[ad_2]
