The Hungarian Defense Forces’ four-month air policing mission in the Baltics has been concluded. On December 1, Spanish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet aircraft took over armed air defense duty, and the Hungarian Gripen jets subsequently returned to Kecskemét, central Hungary. The repatriation of personnel and equipment, that will last until December 5, has thus begun.
Nearly 60 tons of equipment will be transported home by air using An-124 Ruslan aircraft and one of the C-17 aircraft stationed in Pápa. Meanwhile, the contingent’s personnel will travel to Kecskemét on one of the Hungarian Defense Forces’ Airbus A-319 aircraft. The vehicles and other technical equipment will be transported home by road, said Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.
The minister said that during the four months of the Baltic air policing mission, the Hungarian Air Force served in a total of seven NATO member states: in addition to Hungary, the Gripen aircraft secured the airspace of the three Baltic countries, Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
On August 1 this year, the Hungarian Defense Forces took over Baltic air policing duties.
The Hungarian Defense Forces’ Baltic Armed Air Defense Standby Sub-unit, with four JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets and around 80 soldiers, participated in air policing duties in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The Hungarian Defense Forces’ Gripen at the Siauliai air base in Lithuania. Photo: MTI/Hegedüs Róbert
A Gripen fighter jet in the Lithuanian airspace following a training alert on November 12, 2025. Photo: MTI/Hegedüs Róbert
Since Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined NATO in 2004, the allied countries have guaranteed the security of the three Baltic countries’ airspace in four-month rotations in the spirit of collective defense. The Hungarian unit, based at the Siauliai air base in Lithuania, participated in the mission for the fourth time as part of BAP 69, following missions in 2015, 2019, and 2022.
This year’s mission resulted in 22 live alerts, 87 training alerts, and over 400 flight hours.
The ceremonial handover of the Baltic air policing service took place at the Siauliai air base in Lithuania on November 27, 2025, reports honvedelem.hu. In his speech at the event, Tomas Godliauskas, Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Defense, emphasized that the protection of Baltic airspace is one of the most striking examples of effective and exemplary cooperation among NATO allies.
Photo: Honvedelem.hu
The Deputy Minister presented commemorative gifts to the commanders of the Hungarian and Spanish contingents in recognition of their high-quality service. Lieutenant General Thorsten Poschwatta, Commander of NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center in Uedem, praised the achievements of the Hungarian, Spanish and Italian contingents stationed at the Ämari air base in Estonia, expressed his gratitude for their service to date, and wished the Spanish contingent, which is taking over the leading national role in Baltic air policing, every success.
Via Honvedelem.hu, Featured image: Honvedelem.hu
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