Around 300 million euros are set to be invested in the Lithuanian Air Force Air Base in Šiauliai, North Lithuania, known as the City of the Sun, by 2030, the Defense Ministry recently announced.
Special attention is being given to the development and modernization of military infrastructure to meet Lithuania’s growing national defense needs and those of NATO allies.
The Šiauliai Air Base is a strategic site where allied forces have been conducting training exercises and carrying out the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission since 2004.
The air base infrastructure projects are financed through both the state budget and the NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP).
By 2030, planned upgrades include complete rehabilitation of runways and taxiways, development of new infrastructure to support NATO operations, modernization of existing facilities to enhance operational efficiency.
According to the ministry, these improvements will ensure optimal service conditions for both the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO allied forces, facilitating military operations across the Baltic Sea region.
As part of the NATO Rotational Air Defence Model, Italy has deployed a Task Force since 2015, led by the Aeronautica Militare.
This unit is actively engaged in Air Policing operations using Eurofighter F-2000 jets, contributing to NATO’s defense posture, deterrence strategy, and aerial surveillance across the Baltic and Euro-Atlantic airspaces. (Sergio Scialabba)
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