Lithuanian defmin invites US to contribute to rotational air defense

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas has invited the United States to contribute to the rotational air defense model in the region.

After the supreme allied commander in Europe (SACEUR) took over the rotational air defense planning, more news about the allies joining the model is expected in the fall, the minister said after his a meeting with US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall in Vilnius on Wednesday.

"We have asked the secretary and the United States to support the rotational air defense model. (...) We want it to be a permanent rotational model, that is what we are striving for," Kasciunas told a joint press conference. "We will see the results in the near future, and if the F-35 flies in our skies and has a place in Siauliai, it will be an even stronger message of deterrence."

According to Kasciunas, the changes still need "a bit of time" after the NATO leadership took over air defense planning,

"The Washington summit took place in early July, we are now in mid-August. Given certain seasonality, give it a bit of time, the process will pick up, both in terms of planning, in terms of laying out, in terms of schedules," Kasciunas said. "We are rolling up our sleeves and the fall will be the time when we will have more information."

In hi words, several countries are "quite close to certain decisions" on moving their capabilities to Lithuania for a short training period.

For his part, Kendall said the rotational air defense model is a good way to send a message to Russia.

"I think those types of deployments are highly likely to continue and to be emphasized in the future," he said.

Speaking about the possibility of deploying F-35 fighter jets in Lithuania, Kendall said that a number of countries have acquired these aircraft.

"You could have every expectation to be seeing F-35 here in the future. I think it is almost inevitable," Kendall said.

Lithuania has for some time been asking NATO allies to rotate ground-based air defense systems as part of the regional rotational air defense model agreed last year. Lithuania has already discussed this possibility with the US, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and other countries.

The Netherlands deployed Patriot long-range air defense systems to Lithuania for several weeks in July.

The rotational air defense model was agreed by NATO countries last June in response to calls from the Baltic states to reinforce their ongoing air policing mission.

The NATO summit in Washington in July agreed that rotational air defense in the Baltic Sea region should also be the responsibility of the Alliance's military leadership, and not just of individual national politicians.