Baltic Air Policing (BAP and EBAP)

The Baltic Air Policing (BAP), is a rotational air defence role taken up by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries since the Baltic countries (Estonia, Lithuania and Lettonia) do not have the means to maintain their own air defence fighters on a 24/7 basis. For three to four months, NATO partners deploy their fighters to Ämari airbase in Estonia (ICAO: EEEI) or Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania (ICAO: EYSA). And in times of higher tensions, the eastern airbase of Malbork (ICAO: EPMB) in Poland is also used by NATO partners on rotational duty to protect the eastern NATO flank. The Malbork deployments are called Extended Baltic Air Policing (EBAP). The Baltic Air Policing deployments are scheduled by NATO Allied Air Command based at Ramstein airbase (Germany) and the operational missions are controlled by NATO Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) located at Uedem (Germany). The Baltic Control and Reporting Center (CRC) at Karmėlava (LT) directs the Baltic Air Policing aircraft to their targets.

Belgian Air Force

In 2004, the Belgian Air Force was the first NATO Air Force to participate in the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) programme and 17 years later, the Belgians are the one of the two current BAP contributors. The other contributor is the Polish Air Force with F-16s at Siauliai airbase (ICAO: EYSA) in Lithuania. The Baltic Air Policing programme is under control of the NATO Allied Air Command based at Ramstein airbase (Germany). For the Baltic Air Policing, the overall control of the Baltic Air Space is coordinated from the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Uedem in Germany, where the whole of northern Europe is controlled. The Belgian detachment is at 24 hours, 7 days a week readiness with two aircraft that can be airborne within fifteen minutes after the SCRAMBLE command has been issued. This is called the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). Two aircraft that act as spare are kept at high readiness as well. The first Belgian F-16s were acquired in the 1970/1980s but the airframes have been updated and refurbished throughout the years. The Lockheed Martin F-35 has been selected as a replacement and the first aircraft is expected to fly around 2024. As weaponload, the aircraft is loaded with two AIM-120 AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles (beyond visual range), two AIM-9 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles (within visual range) and one M61A1 six-barrel Gatling gun with some 500 bullets. Next to the radar, the targeting pod (‘Sniper’ Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP)) is used to zoom in on the target even before the pilots have visual sight on the target. With the targeting pod, it is easy to recognise the target and check for possible armament. The F-16s are also equipped with flares, normally these are used as defence mechanisms against heat-seeking missiles. But these can also be used to attract the attention of the person inside of the cockpit of an intercepted aircraft. During nightflying operations, the Belgian pilots also use Night Vision Goggles (NVG) to amplify the remaining light in the sky. When a ‘rogue’ aircraft has been intercepted a report is sent to the CRC and a photo is made for confirmation. If the intercepted aircraft is posing a danger to other aircraft or is heading for a forbidden zone, like in case of an emergency; the F-16 is tasked to deviate this aircraft into another direction and for this purpose, flares can be considered as a very handy option. In 99% of the intercepts, there is just an interrogation whereby the F-16s fly next to the aircraft and check the cockpit.

There are 3 kinds of Scrambles

• ALPHA-SCRAMBLE: this is the real thing where the aircraft is launched in less than fifteen minutes
• TANGO-SCRAMBLE: this is a training Scramble where the full Scramble is exercised, without any aircraft to be intercepted
• SIERRA-SCRAMBLE: this is a training Scramble where the full Scramble is exercised, without a take-off.

Polish Air Force

On 25 November 2021, at the 31st Tactical air base Poznan-Krzesiny (ICAO:EPKS) , a solemn farewell to the soldiers of the 10th rotation of Polish Military Contingent ‘Orlik 10‘ (PMC Orlik, 10th edition) took place.

The contingent numbers about 150 people. Its core consists of soldiers from the 31st Tactical airbase and four F-16 planes. The personnel were stationed in Šiauliai, Lithuania. For the F-16 crews from the 31st Tactical airbase, it was already NATO›s third Baltic Air Policing mission. The most important task of the soldiers of the 10th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent Orlik was to intercept planes that has violated the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The mission of the North Atlantic Alliance, as part of the military airspace surveillance of the Baltic States, was conducted on the basis of a rotating system of duty hours performed by other allied states since 2004. Polish aircraft flew for the first time at Baltic Air Policing in 2006. At the Lithuanian airbase of Šiauliai on 30 November 2021, a symbolic handover of the key to the airspace took place as a change of military contingents carrying out the NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltic States. The airmen of the Polish Air Force, part of the Polish Military Contingent Orlik 10, took over the duties of colleagues from Flyvevåbnet (Danish Royal Air Force) and Força Aérea Português (Portuguese Air Force). About 150 pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists, as well as 4 multi-role F-16 Block 52+ combat aircraft from the 31st Tactical Aviation Base were sent to Lithuania by the Polish Armed Forces. The commander of PKW Orlik 10 is Lt. Col. pil. Paweł Stajniak. The Polish F-16s were acquired around 2002 and the first deliveries took place in 2006. And the Lockheed Martin F-35 has been selected to increase the strength of the Polish Air Force, the first should arrive around 2024.

Media Flight

On 25 January 2022, a media flight was organised by NATO Allied Air Command, the Polish Air Force, the Belgian Air Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In the morning, an electronic briefing was started with the photo flight directors, the Polish F-16 pilots and the Lithuanian C-27 pilots at Šiauliai airbase while the Belgian F-16 pilots joined the briefing from Ämari airbase. During the briefing, the various formations, the timelines, the flight levels and the frequencies were discussed. After the take-off, the Lithuanian C-27J transport aircraft flew towards a reserved airspace overhead northern Lithuania. Onboard were seven aviation reporters, securely attached to the floor. After some orbits, the Belgian F-16s joined up first for formation photos and break photos. Then the Polish F-16s joined for a flight with all four F-16s in various formations. After the formations of four, both Belgian and Polish flight leads would make a flight of two, while both flight leads had their national flags draped in the front of their cockpits. Then the Belgian F-16s departed back to Ämari airbase, while the Polish F-16s continued to fly during the beautiful sunset. This photoflight was planned and coordinated by Sławek ‘Hesja’ Krajniewski, who organises similar commercial air-to-air photo opportunities in Poland.

Interview with the Polish DetCo for ‘Orlik 10‘

The Polish Detachment Commander (DetCo) is Lt. Colonel “Cobra” (his callsign), who started at the Polish Air Force academy in 1997. The Polish deployment ‘Orlik 10’ lasts from 1 December 2021 until 31 March 2022. Previously a combined Danish and Portuguese F-16 deployment was based here to protect the Lithiuanin airspace. With some 2230 flying hours in total and some 1560 hours in the F-16, Lt. Colonel “Cobra” leads the detachment of 130 persons of the Polish Air Force in Lithuania. Four Lockheed Martin F-16Cs (block 52+) are located in the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) hangars of the Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania. About half of the pilots are experienced pilots and the other half of the pilots are younger pilots, but fully Mission Qualified. According to Lt Col “Cobra”, the F-16s fly similar air defence tasks in Poland in various scenarios. “Here in Lithuania, they fly the same kind of missions”. In March, The Polish Air Force staff accepted the proposal to go to Lithuania in December 2021 and 4 months prior to the deployment, the F-16s from Poznan airbase started with their preparations (documents and training). During and after this deployment, the Polish training syllabus has been enhanced with the lessons learned during this deployment. “Update the procedures, gain skill and experience not only by pilots but also all operational and logistical personnel ‘’ are some of the lessons learned so far. Next to air defence exercises with the Belgian F-16 based at Amari airbase (in Estonia), there was also some Close Air Support (CAS) exercises planned with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from Lithuania and Latvia. The Polish F-16s fly their air policing missions always in pairs (two F-16s) and these F-16s are fully armed with the M61 six-barreled cannon, the AIM-9 Air Intercept Missile (Sidewinder) and the AIM-120 Advanced Medium- Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Depending on the weather, some 40 missions are flown per month. Some missions are training and familiarisation missions (T-Scramble), some missions are reconnaissance missions.

Interview with one of the pilots in the photoflight

Captain “Pablo” (his callsign) started his career in 2007 at the Polish Air Force Academy and he has some 1050 flying hours. His role is QRA pilot/ commander and he with his wingman flew the Polish F-16s with callsign POLKA1 and POLKA2. As preparation for the photo flight, there was 1 briefing with the photoplanners, 1 briefing with the Belgian Pilots and 1 combined briefing was delivered to all participants (photo-planners, Polish pilots, Belgian pilots and Lithuanian C-27 pilots). The actual photo flight took place overhead Siauliai airbase, as the weather was favorable in that region of Lithuania. As the Belgian F-16s were planned to arrive first with the C-27, the Polish F-16s arrived later for the photoshoot. And as the photoflight was overhead the Siauliai airbase, the Polish F-16s flew as long as they had enough fuel onboard to return to their base. Captain “Pablo” liked the deployment: “My team and the conditions (work, accomodation, sport, food and city). It was a very ambitious and well performed project. Our social media observers and media got crazy after this event.

Text and photos by Alex van Noye & Joris van Boven