From 2018, Denmark will again offer a contribution to the NATO enforcement of the Baltic countries’ airspace sovereignty, the so-called Baltic Air Policing. The Government took the decision, after taking advice from the Foreign Policy Committee today.
“Denmark should make a robust contribution to security and stability in the Baltic Sea and the Baltic Region. Therefore, I am pleased that Denmark will again from 2018 offers an F-16 detachment to secure the Baltic airspace again from 2018, as part of the Baltic Air Policing. It supports basic Danish security policy interests, and it is truly the best way to support our Baltic friends and neighbours.
Combined with the proposed Danish contribution of 200 persons to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in the Baltic states, Denmark takes a leading role in supporting security and stability in our region”, says Minister for Foreign Affairs Anders Samuelsen.
“Denmark has solid experience contributing to the Baltic Air Policing, and I am convinced that the deployed Danish forces will solve the task of safeguarding the integrity of the airspace of the Baltic countries just as professionally as they have done during past deployments. By contributing to operations such as NATO’s reinsurance measures, the enhanced forward presence and the Baltic Air Policing, the Royal Danish Armed Forces demonstrates its ability to undertake several large-scale assignments in our own region concurrently. It demonstrates that NATO, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark, derive great value from the Royal Danish Armed Forces”, states Minister for Defence Claus Hjort Frederiksen.
Background
The contribution, covering four F-16 fighter jets and approx. 60 personnel, is planned to be deployed at the same time as the expected Danish contribution to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in the Baltic states. The Danish Parliament is currently debating a motion for a resolution from the Government to deploy a Danish military detachment of up to approx. 200 personnel to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in 2018.
Dating back 2004, Danish fighters were among the very first to enforce the sovereignty of the Baltic countries’ airspace. All told, Denmark has contributed five times, most recently in 2014. The assignment is similar to the national deterrence task in Danish airspace. The intent is to deploy the Danish detachment for approximately four months from January 2018. The Danish jets are planned to be based at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania.
For further information, please contact:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Press advisor Mr Lars Peter Levy, telephone (+45) 41904124.
Ministry of Defence: Press duty officer, telephone (+45) 23236500.
