On Monday, March 17, 2025, the Armed Forces Operational Command announced on social media that from April to July this year, as part of the 13th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent (PMC) Orlik, four F-16C Jastrząb multirole aircraft will safeguard the airspace of the Baltic States in support of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing operation.
Photo: Michał Adamowski, MILMAG
“Poland not only benefits from NATO’s collective defense but also actively contributes to it—our fighter jets will once again help protect the airspace of our allies.
On April 1, 2025, the Polish Military Contingent ORLIK-13 will begin its mission to safeguard the skies over the Baltic States. For the next four months, F-16 multirole aircraft from the 32nd Tactical Air Base will support the security of NATO’s eastern flank.
PMC ORLIK is part of the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, under which Air Forces conduct airspace patrols and combat duty in the Baltic States, ensuring the security and territorial integrity of NATO countries in the region. The BAP mission has operated on a rotational basis since March 29, 2004, with different Allied nations taking turns. Poland’s involvement in this mission dates back to 2006.
Poland’s participation in BAP missions demonstrates our commitment to NATO’s security and our solidarity with regional allies. Our country not only benefits from the collective defense system, but also plays an active role in its operation, strengthening the security of the entire Alliance.”
The Armed Forces Operational Command
This time, the aircraft will be deployed for the sixth time to the 1st Air Base in Šiauliai, Lithuania, as announced on Thursday, March 13, by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a meeting in Warsaw with his Lithuanian counterpart, Dovilė Šakalienė.
From early December 2023 to the end of February 2024, Polish F-16s were stationed at the Ämari Air Base in Estonia, while the previous rotation in Šiauliai took place from early October 2022 to early April 2023.
The previous Polish rotation involving F-16 aircraft in Lithuania took place from early December 2021 to the end of February 2022. The three earlier rotations occurred from early May to the end of August 2017, from early January to the end of April 2019, and from early January 2020 to April 20. It is worth noting that from early January 2020 to mid-May, F-16s were stationed in Estonia for the first time.
Previously, the Polish Air Force was represented by MiG-29 aircraft, which were deployed to Lithuania six times (January–May 2015, May–September 2014, April–September 2012, May–September 2010, March–June 2008, and January–March 2006). This changed following a series of three accidents, including one that tragically resulted in the death of a pilot, as well as an engine fire and two emergency landings.
