Leaving for the Baltic Region

Szöveg: honvedelem.hu / MTI | 2015. augusztus 19. 6:00

Speaking at a ceremony held on Kecskemét Air Base on Monday, August 17, Minister of Defence Csaba Hende stated that the Hungarian participation in the Baltic Air Policing mission is an important task. The event was a farewell ceremony for the contingent that is to leave for a four-month mission on August 27.

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The ceremony was attended, among others, by Colleen Bell, Ambassador of the United States. Minister of Defence Csaba Hende emphasized that as a member of NATO, Hungary is committed to the development of its armed forces, so that beyond defending itself, it can contribute to common defence as well. These days the Baltic airspace has become the most complex airspace in Europe and perhaps in NATO as a whole, the Minister said referring to the tense international situation due to the crisis in Ukraine.

The Hungarian quick reaction alert (QRA) unit is going to deploy with four Gripen fighter planes to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania and will be flying its missions from there for four months. The personnel to be deployed in several rotations number over 100, most of them serve at the HDF 59th “Dezső Szentgyörgyi" Air Base in Kecskemét.