Latvia: reinforced forward presence and Baltic Air Police
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The convulsive and difficult times we are living through today are changing the way we conceive the defence of our country and leading us to want to protect ourselves, to safeguard our backs, our homeland and our way of life.
In this historic moment that we are unfortunately experiencing today with Russia's war against Ukraine, many countries - especially those whose borders border the Russian Federation and which belong to the European Union or NATO - are plunged into fear and uncertainty of being attacked and invaded by Vladimir Putin's government, and this is undoubtedly the main threat to Latvia's national security.
The Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), all members of the EU and NATO (since 2004), are closely aware of the current situation and want to reinforce their military and borders in a possible threat scenario.
This is the case of Latvia, which borders Estonia to the north, the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea to the northwest, Lithuania to the south, Belarus to the southeast and Russia to the east.
It is in this part of the country, on the border with Russia, where the deployment of Russian troops close to its territory in recent months has increased the presence of military personnel under NATO command.
The Enhanced Forward Presence (ePF), a NATO Battle Group mission of a defensive and multinational nature to maintain peace, unity and freedom in Europe and to guarantee the stability and security of the allied countries of Eastern Europe due to the conflicts that have arisen in recent years1, is worth mentioning in this area of the Baltic States.
This Reinforced Military Presence was created in 2016 in one of the agreements reached by the 28 heads of state and government of the allied nations during the Warsaw2 Summit, as a result of the various conflicts that had occurred in recent years and was established in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
It was in the spring of 2017 that the mission began, comprising four Battle Groups (BGs) led by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada3.
Of the more than 4,000 troops from fifteen countries4 that make up the different tactical groups of this force, Spain currently has 500 military personnel and means such as tanks, infantry vehicles and heavy mortars, among others5, deployed.
The airspace of the Baltic countries is protected by NATO
Like the Enhanced Forward Presence, the Baltic states are also protected from the skies under NATO with the Baltic Air Police (BAP), an air force operating from Lithuania and reinforced from Latvia. Following NATO accession in 2004 (and consequently the expansion of allied airspace) and the fact that Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania lack a combat air force to control and monitor their territory and carry out rapid6 reaction missions, this mission was launched with the aim of air defence, ensuring the integrity of airspace, as well as air transport tasks, search and rescue operations and conflict prevention through defensive measures and deterrence7.
In 2004, four fighter aircraft were deployed, but following the numerous conflicts in areas close to Lithuania and in particular Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, 12 fighters from three different countries are now deployed.
Spain has been participating in this mission since 2004, contributing fighter aircraft and military personnel who make possible the logistics, surveillance, maintenance and control functions of the Detachment, which is called the Vilkas Detachment.
The work of the Spanish Army in each mission, both nationally and internationally, plays a fundamental role in the development of this mission, as the professionalism, dedication and training of our soldiers is up to the task of each situation in order to be able to meet the objectives that arise.
NATO's commitment to its allies is reflected in an operation such as ePF. After more than 10 years, both on the ground and in the air, military forces continue to operate, providing the Baltic countries with the necessary tools to defend their territory, maintain peace and unity.
Edurne Villanueva Torregrosa, contributor in the National Defence Area in Sec2Crime
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ministerio de Defensa (2022). PRESENCIA AVANZADA REFORZADA-LETONIA https://www.defensa.gob.es/misiones/en_exterior/actuales/listado/otan-efp-letonia.html
Ministerio de Defensa (2018). LETONIA: PRESENCIA AVANZADA REFORZADA. https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/reportajes/2018/62_mision_letonia.html
NATO. NATO ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE https://lc.nato.int/operations/enhanced-forward-presence-efp
Ministerio de Defensa (2022). ESPAÑA REFUERZA LA MISIÓN EN LETONIA CON 150 MILITARES. https://www.defensa.gob.es/gabinete/notasPrensa/2022/03/DGC-220301-letonia.html
Ministerio de Defensa (2022). POLICÍA AÉREA EN EL BÁLTICO. https://www.defensa.gob.es/misiones/en_exterior/actuales/listado/policia-aerea-baltico.html
Ministerio de Defensa (2022). ESPAÑA LIDERA LA MISIÓN DE POLICÍA AÉREA DE LA OTAN EN EL BÁLTICO. https://emad.defensa.gob.es/operaciones/operaciones-en-el-exterior/33-BAP-Policia_Aerea_del_Baltico/noticias/listado/220401-inicio-bap-59.html
Ministerio de Defensa (2022). POLICÍA AÉREA DEL BÁLTICO. https://emad.defensa.gob.es/operaciones/operaciones-en-el-exterior/33-BAP-Policia_Aerea_del_Baltico/
Revista española de Defensa (2018). DISUASIÓN Y DEFENSA EN POLONIA Y LOS BÁLTICOS. https://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/gabinete/red/2017/red-340-letonia.pdf