Lithuanian Air Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Lithuanian Air Force or LAF is the military aviation

Military aviation

Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...

branch of the Lithuanian armed forces

Military of Lithuania

The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~14,500 active personnel . Conscription was ended in September 2008.Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy...

. It is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units are located at Zokniai airport near the city Šiauliai

Šiauliai

Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...

History

On 23 January 1992, the Minister of Defense signed an order establishing the staff for the Aviation Base of the Aviation Service. But an actual base in the Šiauliai airport territory (Barysiai airfield) was not established until March, when according the ordinance of the Government of Lithuanian Republic, all the infrastructure, buildings, territory and 24 An-2 aircraft were passed from ”Lithuanian Airlines" to the Aviation Service of the Ministry of Defense in January 1992.
In 12 June 1992, the first time after regaining the independence of Lithuania, An-2 aircraft, marked with the double cross of Vytis on its wings – the distinguishing sign of Lithuanian Air Force – took off from Barysiai airfield. This date is considered to be the Aviation Base foundation date. In February 1993 four L-39C Albatros aircraft were brought from Kyrgyzstan.

After 1 March 1993 Aviation Service was reformed to the Lithuanian Air Force and Aviation Base was renamed the First Aviation Base of the Lithuanian Air Force.In January 1994 Lithuania officially applied for NATO membership. From 1995 to 1999, according a decree of Lithuanian Government the First Aviation Base was relocated to Zokniai airfield nearby Šiauliai

Šiauliai

Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...

, which was used for fighter wing, radio-electronic fight and reconnaissance squadrons dislocation during the Soviet occupation.

According to the decree of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius, the First Aviation Base and the Second Aviation Base were reorganized into the Lithuanian Air Force Aviation Base as of 1 October 2004. Up to 2004, there were only light attack jet aircraft and transport aircraft located at the Air Base, after the reconstruction of First and Second Air Bases, helicopters are located at the Air Base too.

Structure

The Lithuanian Air Force Headquarters and the Airspace Surveillance and Control Command

Airspace Surveillance and Control Command (Lithuania)

Airspace Surveillance and Control Command - is a branch of the Lithuanian Air Force responsible for air space surveillance and protection...

are located in Kaunas

Kaunas

Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...

, while the Air Space Control Centre is stationed nearby in Karmėlava

Karmėlava

Karmėlava is a small town in Kaunas County in central Lithuania. As of 2001 it had a population of 2886. The town of Karmėlava is located north east of Kaunas and near the second busiest civil Kaunas International Airport in Lithuania.-History:...

. Air Base and Air Force Armament and Equipment Repair Depot are located in Šiauliai

Šiauliai

Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...

. The Air defence battalion, formed in 2000, is located in the Radviliškis district.

Air Base

The staff, aircraft and equipment of the Air Base participated in many international training missions abroad and at home.
Main tasks of the Air Base are:

Host nation Support for NATO Baltic Air Policing
Baltic Air Policing
The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.-Mission:...

forces;
Search and Rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...

;
Passenger, cargo and VIP transport;
Air medical evacuation;
Personnel deployment;
Army and Navy air support;
Air base personnel combat readiness training.

Air Defence Battalion

The Air Defence Battalion’s primary missions include:

Defend state facilities of vital importance against military aviation attacks from the air in low and medium altitude;
Support land forces in fighting against ground armoured technical equipment and in other events;
Train military personnel in carrying out combat tasks.

Development of infrastructure is one key missions of the Air Defence Battalion currently in the stage of development.

Airspace Surveillance and Control Command

The Airspace Surveillance and Control Command works closely with the Baltic States Air Surveillance System, BALTNET

BaltNet

BaltNet is a radar network operated by the militaries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia -External links:**...

. The appropriate legal documentation of the BALTNET project was developed, the Reciprocal Memorandum of Understanding concerning military personnel training was signed among Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian, and Danish Ministries of Defence.
The Regional Air Spaces Surveillance Co-ordination Centre (RASSCC), headquarters of the BALTNET project, was established in the LTAF Airspace Control Centre and has been fully functioning since early 2000. Military personnel from all the three Baltic States

Baltic states

The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...

serve as air surveillance operators at the centre and rotate according to national timetables. The Commander of the centre is appointed for two years and represents one of the Baltic States.

Armament and Equipment Repair Depot

The main tasks of Armament and Equipment Repair Depot:

To perform periodical works of maintenance as well as minor and medium repair of LAF armament and equipment outdoors;
To modernize LAF equipment according to contemporary aviation needs and NATO standards;
To prepare technical requirements for organizing competitions of centralized repair, modernization and purchasing of equipment;
To perform periodical works of maintenance, supervision and repair of life-saving equipment used in search and rescue works;
Under necessity, to perform works of maintenance and minor repair of special equipment of NATO partners, performing the function of air police in Lithuania. ;
Under necessity to provide proper room for ensuring minor repair operations of airplanes (QRA) of NATO partners;
Raise the level of military and professional staff preparation in order to be able in future perform periodic maintenance and repair of western type aircraft.

Baltic Air Policing

After Lithuania joined NATO organization back in 2004, its (alongside Latvia

Latvia

Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...

's and Estonia

Estonia

Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...

's) air space is protected by NATO

Baltic Air Policing

The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.-Mission:...

. NATO members provide usually 4 fighter aircraft

Fighter aircraft

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

, based in Lithuania, to police the Baltic States

Baltic states

’ airspace. The deployments rotate between NATO members (that started in March 2004 with Belgium Air Force F-16s) and most NATO members that operate fighters have made a deployment to Lithuania. The Baltic States are considering in the near future to protect their airspace on their own.

Modernisation

In line with the set priorities, the Lithuanian Air Force are implementing modernisation plans.
Since Independence in 1991, the Lithuanian Air force has bought 3 new C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft

Military transport aircraft

Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...

. They have replaced the older Soviet-era An-26.

Two L-39ZA aircraft underwent extension of technical resources in Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

2007. Maintenance works included exhaustive check-up of the aircraft units and major engine repairs. New navigation equipment GNS 530 was installed and radio communication sets changed in pilot cabins. These planes are used to train fighter control officers in air policing mission and fighter command officers..
Also conducted was a complex program of capital overhaul, upgrade and modernisation of the Air Force's helicopters Mi-8

Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....

and twin engine short-range transport aircraft L-410

L-410

The Let L-410 Turbolet is a twin-engined short-range transport aircraft, manufactured by the Czech aircraft manufacturer LET, mostly used for passenger transport. Since 1969 more than 1100 airframes have been produced.-Development:...

. There are also plans put forward by the Lithuanian Government to renew the helicopter

Helicopter

A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...

fleet in 2010-2011.

Current

! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Photo
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Origin
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Versions
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|In service
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes
|-----
| Aero L-39 Albatros
|

|
| Trainer\light attack
| L-39ZA
| 1(2)
| One aircraft crashed on 30 August 2011 after a collision with a French Mirage 2000C. Both pilots ejected.

|-----
| Alenia C-27J Spartan

Alenia C-27J Spartan

The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a medium-sized military transport aircraft. The C-27J is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's G.222 , with the engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules...

|
|
| Medium-sized military transport
| C-27J
| 3
| All three delivered.
|-----
| Let L-410 Turbolet
|

|
| Short-range transport
| L-410UVP

L-410

| 2
| Under modernization
|-----
| Antonov An-2

Antonov An-2

The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...

|
| Light utility
| An-2
| 5
| Used for paratrooper

Paratrooper

Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...

training.
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-18

Yakovlev Yak-18

|-See also:-External links:*...

|
|

Soviet Union
| Military primary trainer
| Yak-52
| 5
|
|-----
| rowspan="3"|Mil Mi-8

Mil Mi-8

| rowspan="3"|

Avionics

Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...

.
|-----
| Mi-8T
| 4
| 3 in storage. All fitted for Search and Rescue

Search and rescue

Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...

operations. 2 of them are always on duty in Kaunas

Kaunas

and Nemirseta

Nemirseta

Nemirseta is a district of the Lithuanian seaside resort Palanga, located on the Baltic coast north of Klaipėda.-History:The place, which consists mainly of two deserted buildings which lost their purpose as a border check point, is notable for having marked for about five centuries the...

.
|-----
| Mi-8PS
| 1
| VIP

VIP

VIP and V.I.P. is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:-In general:* Vacuum insulated panel* Values, Influence, and Peers, an anti-crime campaign in Ontario elementary schools* Variable Information Printing, a form of on-demand printing...

modification.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: #E6E6E6;" colspan="7" | NATO strategic air transport joint program
NATO Strategic Airlift Capability
The Strategic Airlift Capability is a consortium of 12 nations, 10 of which are member states of NATO and two of which are Partners For Peace, to pool together resources to purchase and operate Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for joint strategic airlift purposes.The SAC concept was...

|-----
| Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
|

|
| Large military strategic transport
| C-17ER
| 3
| Participating in C-17 program Lithuania is provided 45 hours for flying per year using C-17 aircraft for airlift to mission area, and also contribute while creating joint NATO capabilities.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: #E6E6E6;" colspan="7" | NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance joint program
Alliance Ground Surveillance
Alliance Ground Surveillance is a NATO programme to acquire an airborne ground surveillance capability.The Main Operating Base will be located at Sigonella Air Base, Italy.-External links:*...

|-----
| Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
|

Retired ( phased out of service)

20+ x Antonov An-2 «Colt» ;
1 x Antonov An-24 «Coke» - retired in 1996, currently on display in the Lithuanian Aviation Museum
Lithuanian Aviation Museum
The Lithuanian Aviation Museum is located in Kaunas, Lithuania. The museum was officially opened in 1983. The permanent collection of the museum contains more than 18 000 displays of different fields of technology. The major part of the collection is dedicated to the history of aviation in Lithuania...

;
3 x Antonov An-26 «Curl» - were replaced by Spartans, last one retired 2008;
4 x Aero L-39C «Albatros» - one was a complete write-off, the second one was transferred to the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is a state higher academic school which has the rights of legal entity. The University is a non-profit institution, which was established by the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania....

Antanas Gustaitis Aviation Institute Last two are in storage with no plans to restore;
5 x Mil Mi-2 «Hoplite»
MI-2
MI-2 or Mi-2 can refer to:* Michigan's 2nd congressional district* Mil Mi-2, an armored helicopter* Mission: Impossible II* Anti-Mi-2 antibodies...

- last one retired 1999;
4 x PZL-104 Wilga -.

External links

Sources

Ministry of National Defence Republic of Lithuania

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.