NATO will temporarily station two Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft in Šiauliai, Lithuania. This was announced in an official statement by the North Atlantic Alliance.
According to the statement, the first of the two long-range AWACS reconnaissance aircraft will arrive at the new location today (September 28, 2023) to “perform a mission to monitor Russian military activity near the Alliance’s borders.” Approximately 150 military personnel will also be dispatched to Šiauliai to support its operations.
As stated by NATO Acting Spokesperson Dylan White, “Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine has heightened security concerns in the Baltic Sea region.”
AWACS aircraft systems are capable of detecting aircraft and missiles hundreds of kilometers away, making them a key early warning asset for NATO.
The Alliance has announced that it has strengthened its air presence on the eastern flank with fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial refueling tankers. After Russian drone strikes reached Alliance countries’ territories, the United States sent an additional four F-16 fighter jets to Romania last week to enhance air patrols.
In the coming days, NATO AWACS aircraft are planning to launch a new reconnaissance flight program over Alliance territory.