Spain and Belgium will take over responsibility for NATO's air policing mission in the Baltic states as of the year 2016, informs LETA.

Lithuania 's Ministry of National Defense told BNS a Spanish contingent with four Eurofighter Typhoons would be stationed in Lithuania. It will be a third time that Spanish troops take part in the Baltic air policing mission. They will replace the Norwegian troops who have guarded the Baltic airspace with four JAS-39 Gripens since September.

Meanwhile, the German troops deployed in Estonia with four Eurofighter Typhoons will be replaced by a Belgian contingent with F-16 fighter jets.

The official changeover ceremony is scheduled for January 7.

NATO countries began sending military personnel and aircraft to guard Baltic States’ skies in 2004, upon Lithuania’s, Latvia’s and Estonia’s NATO accession. In spring 2014, immediately after the Russian annexation of Crimea, NATO allies strengthened protection of the Baltic airspace by sending additional capabilities to Lithuania, Estonia and also by deploying one contingent in Poland.

But it was decided to cut the number of fighter jets performing the mission in 2015 and one contingent in Lithuania and Estonia each are on standby since September.