NATO QRA

[alyster]

Does any1 have any info about NATO's ORA in Baltic.
I mean now we should have Luftwaffe here(if they haven't gone away already), but who's next with which planes?
And which planes will US send to patrol the skies next to Russia  

I've looked long and hard for it, but there isn't much info about it, maybe any of you know?

It seems like I have to join FSB to get some info about it  

[Webmaster]

Released November 5, 2005, USAF Europe:

"The 23rd EFS is providing 24-hour air policing coverage over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.  The 120 personnel assigned to the 23rd EFS are responsible for ensuring its fleet of four F-16s is maintained, armed and ready to launch at a moments notice while working at a bare-base environment under challenging weather conditions."

http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/news05/uns05340.htm

[alyster]

Ok, thnx. Like always, you know everything
Are u wortking for FSB? 

[Webmaster]

Hahaha, would be interesting, but no, not FSB nor any other agency. And I don't know it all, I had to look FSB up.

Maybe in future the AIVD/MIVD in the Netherlands, but that chance is about 0.0001% as I am not even sure if I am interested in such a job.

[Webmaster]

Alyster, when the three month term is over for 23rd, the Polish AF will be next. I suppose with MiG-29s. They will also be the first detachment for four instead of three months. From then on, all detachments will stay 4 months.

[alyster]

Cool, thanks!

What's the other chance that Polsih have besides MiG-29s? Four F-16s and MiG-21s still? But they are so close to their home, so they can change the planes with no problem...

Lol, they are so proud of their F-16s. When I was over there last time, they had alsorts of cool stuff linked to the Falcon.

[Webmaster]

AFAIK they haven't received their F-16s yet (first four in September 2006 according to AFM), so MiG-29 is the premier and only fighter in Polish Air Force service, unless you want to use Su-22M4 fighter-bombers fitted with some R-60s... the Polish MiG-29s seem to be in pretty good shape though. MiG-21 were retired in 2004 I think, some are reportedly sold to Vietnam.

Dec/Jan - April 2006              4x Polish MiG-29
April/May - August 2006        Turkish Air Force (probably 4x F-16s)
August - November 2006     4x Spanish Mirage F1M, 142 Escuádron, 14 Ala

We've had Belgium, Denmark, UK, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, US, now Poland, and meanwhile Italy is air policing Slovenia.

[orko_8]

According to Hurriyet newspaper's report citing Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, Turkish Air Force F-16's will start NATO QRA operation in April 2006 for a 3 month period, as planned (and indicated above).

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/dunya/3681618.asp?gid=69

[Webmaster]

Update:

On August 1st 2006, the Spanish Air Force took over from Turkey. Spain is now the tenth deployment, which will take four months, and has three Mirage F.1CT fighters and 86 personnel.

Next turn is for Romania, deploying the MiG-21 Lancer C from Baza Aeriana 71.

[alyster]

The future of this program will get clear by the year 2011 
But the news for this year is that the planes are going to be based at different times at different airfields in all 3 countries.

[Valiant1]

I'm a little lost here guys...can someone explain to me why NATO is flying patrols near the Russian border? Wouldn't that provoke the Russians?  And what is QRA? I would appreciate any information...thanks guys.

[Webmaster]

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are part of NATO. One of the foundations of NATO (article 5) is that the airspace of its members is defended, so monitored and air policed, for this all NATO states have aircraft standing-by on Quick Reaction Alert. These new member countries do not have their own fighter capability so NATO provides QRA for them. Also Italy provides QRA for Slovenia. And the US has been providing QRA for Iceland since the beginning of NATO I think.

Not flying the patrols, would maybe give less chance of provocation, but then you are ignoring the rights of these NATO countries and just using them as bufferzone. You make them members, but you don't defend their airspace...that would be stupid. Russia recognises these states, so it should also recognise their right to join alliances and have their airspace defended. Russia just has to follow the regulations for entering their airspace.