The Hungarian Defence Forces’ Baltic Air Policing Mission is Completed

On 1 December, the F/A-18 Hornet fighters of the Spanish air force took over the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duty service, and then the Hungarian Gripens returned home to Kecskemét Air Base, Hungary. This marked the start of the redeployment process of personnel and equipment, which is to be completed by 5 December. The containers containing close to 60 tons of equipment will be transported back to Hungary by air, with the use of a An-124 Ruslan and one of the C-17 airlifters stationed at Pápa, while the personnel of the contingent will return home aboard an Airbus A319 of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The vehicles and the rest of the technical items are scheduled to return home on public road – said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

The Hungarian Defence Forces Baltic Air Policing Quick Reaction Alert Detachment (Block 69) participated with four JAS 39 Gripen fighters and some 80 airmen in performing air policing tasks in the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Here are some facts of this year’s mission: the aircraft took off to conduct Alpha scrambles on 22 occasions, Tango scrambles on 87 occasions, and the pilots logged more than 400 flight hours.

The minister emphasized that the successful completion of this mission reflects not only the Hungarian airmen’s excellent performance, but also the fact that, on the international scene, Hungary participates in NATO’s collective defence as a reliable ally. He added that through this successfully accomplished mission, the Hungarian Defence Forces have contributed to the security of the military defence Alliance and the airspace of the Baltic countries, thereby strengthening Hungary’s commitment to collective defence.

He also said that during these four months of the Baltic Air Policing Mission, the Hungarian Air Force had been serving in altogether seven NATO member states: besides Hungary and the three Baltic countries, Hungarian Gripens had also safeguarded the airspace of Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia.