Mission: safeguarding the Baltic skies

As of 1 August, Hungary will assume the lead nation role in NATO’s BAP Mission already for the fourth time; however, as the Deputy Chief of Defence noted, a lot of operational factors have changed since the first rotation in 2015. “The international environment is full of conflicts and has become uncertain and fragile. Today, airspace violation and irregular air traffic are no longer theoretical issues” – he said in his welcome speech.

“It is not only Hungarian airspace that is safeguarded by the Gripens of the Hungarian Defence Forces. Within the framework of our regional assumed role, we have been protecting Slovenia’s airspace for more than a decade, and as of 2024, Slovakia and Croatia have also been protected by the Hungarian air force. This is more than a question of capability: this is friendship and trust. We consider this task as an obligation rather than assistance” – emphasized Lieutenant General Ferenc Kajári.

“The NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission is a visible and tangible example of allied solidarity, and Hungary is participating in it by taking the lead role. This service is one of the clearest proofs of the fact that we are active builders of collective defence. Concepts like NATO, transatlantic cooperation and European security are not alien to us. These are the joint objectives for which the Hungarian servicemembers serve day after day. Today, we not only say farewell to a detachment, but also strengthen our allied commitment. This is because the Hungarian Defence Forces are also capable of performing their duties to high standards in international environments, in multinational cooperative missions in professional and human aspects alike” – this was how Lieutenant General Ferenc Kajári closed his ceremonial speech.

Lieutenant Colonel Péter Tősér, the commander of the 69th rotation of the HDF Baltic QRA Duty Detachment noted that this mission is needed because Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia do not have any fighter jets, so since their accession to NATO in 2004, their airspace has been protected by other member states on a rotational basis in the spirit of collective defence.

“This mission is not only about the aircrews, as the aircraft maintenance technicians and the logisticians forming the backbone of the detachment also have a distinguished role” – emphasized the detachment commander. Although the detachment is mainly drawn from the airmen of the HDF 101st Aviation Wing, the four-month service also involves the personnel of the HDF Air Operations Command and Control Centre, the HDF 86th Helicopter Wing, the HDF Medical Centre and the HDF 47th Air Base.

Hungary will perform the air policing tasks with four JAS 39C Gripen fighter aircraft from Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania, with the support of the Spanish and the Italian air forces.