Czechs to police Baltic airspace this year

Czech military fighter jets are due to start policing the airspace of the Baltic states in April of this year. The mission, which is part of a rotating NATO security operation, will continue until the end of July.

The four Gripen planes will police the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who do not have the means to protect their airspace and rely on NATO allies for assistance.

The Czech Republic has been involved in guarding the airspace of NATO member states since 2009; this will be its fourth mission in the Baltics.