During the two-week event, pilots will perform tasks in a variety of complex combat scenarios.Continue reading
Hungary has reaffirmed its commitment to NATO with the deployment of four JAS-39C Gripen fighter jets to Lithuania under the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission. Speaking at the Šiauliai Air Base, Hungarian Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky declared that the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—can count on Hungary as a dependable partner in regional security.
Photo: Szalay-Bobrovniczky Kristóf Facebook
The Hungarian Air Force now shares airspace patrol duties with Spain, taking over from Poland and Romania in a routine four-month rotation.
The deployment marks Hungary’s fourth contribution to the mission since 2015, underscoring its ongoing commitment to collective defense.
The BAP, in operation since 2004, ensures aerial security for the Baltic nations, which lack their own fighter aircraft. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the mission has expanded to three NATO airbases in the region, reflecting increased vigilance in light of growing Russian military activity.
Hungarian pilots are on Quick Reaction Alert status, requiring them to launch within 15 minutes if an unidentified aircraft is detected. Past alerts have often been triggered by Russian military planes flying near Baltic airspace without identification or communication.
During Hungary’s last deployment in late 2022, its fighter jets logged over 300 flight hours and responded to nearly 20 live (ALFA) alerts and more than 60 training (TANGO) scrambles.
The mission was ceremonially acknowledged by Lithuania’s Deputy Defense Minister Loreta Maskaliovienė, who welcomed the Hungarian delegation and underscored the importance of continued NATO cooperation in the region.
As tensions with Russia persist, Hungary’s return to the Baltic skies sends a clear signal of allied solidarity and operational readiness in Eastern Europe.
Via MTI; Featured image: Szalay-Bobrovniczky Kristóf Facebook