Spanish Ambassador to Lithuania visits the ‘Vilkas’ Detachment

 ·       The diplomat has verified the detachment operational capabilities, which leads the Baltic Air Policing.

Spanish Air Force personnel welcomed José María Robles Fraga, Spanish Ambassador to Lithuania, in Šiauliai.The detachment, operating in the Baltic Air Policing (BAP), is composed of 132 military personnel and six EF-18, and is under the operarational control  of the Joint operations commad.

During the visit the Ambassador had the opportunity to get acquainted with the Spanish mission, to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states.

The Ambassador was also interested in the protocol to protect against COVID-19 and the possible impact in the logistics, replacements and morale.  In this sense, Lieutenant Colonel Jesús Gutiérrez Gallego, chief of the Spanish detachment, confirmed that, regardless these circunstancies, security and efectiveness are guaranteed.

The Ambassador underlined the commitment of Spain and its Armed Forces with our allies, especially with the Baltic States. At the end of his visit, José María Robles had and emotional remembrance of the Spanish people lost in 26 May 2003, as a result of the Yak-42 plane crash.

This is the third time Spain is the lead nation for this NATO mission, and the seventh one that Spanish aircrafts are deployed, which espress the commitment of Spain with our allies and how trustworthy our Armed Forces are for NATO.