493rd Airmen return after policing Baltic skies

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Torri K. Larson
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Members of the 493rd Fighter Squadron and 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit recently returned from a three-month deployment to Siauliai, Lithuania, where they supported the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. 

The BAP mission requires pilots and maintainers to stand at the ready to launch jets within minutes of hearing a warning siren, signaling there may be trouble in the airspace over Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia. 

According to Capt. George Downs, 493rd FS assistant director of operations and project officer for the NATO BAP mission, the squadron flew more than 100 sorties while in Siauliai, to keep their skills proficient and their timing intense. 

"One of our greatest accomplishments was meeting our NATO commitment 100 percent of the time," Captain Downs said. "There are certain standards of when we need to be in the air and how long it takes to get the jets back on alert status after they land. We were able to meet those standards." 

He attributed the success to the adeptness of the pilots and maintenance crews, and their intense training prior to leaving for Lithuania. 

"The pilot-crew chief relationship is important for this type of mission," said 1st Lt. Andrew Frye, 493rd FS pilot. "We have to have a lot of trust for each other since there is no verbal communication during the launch. You definitely have to have a competent crew chief." 

This was Lt. Frye's first operational deployment as a member of the 493rd FS. He said he didn't know what to expect when he first left for Lithuania but the experience was better than he had anticipated. 

"It was cool to see how fast we could actually get in the air (after the alarm sounded)," Lt. Frye said. "It was different from flying here, but it was a great experience." 

He said the people of Siauliai were nice and most of them spoke English, which made communicating with the local community much easier. 

"Another of our accomplishments was the amount of support we provided to the town of Siauliai," Captain Downs said. "We worked with two children's homes there; that will have a long-term impact and build strong relationships for the future." 

He also spoke of the camaraderie between the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the foreign air forces. He said it was good to work with them and to know they can count on each other in the future. 

"We trained one day with the Danish and Polish Air Forces in the later part of October," he said. "The Lithuanian Air Force was phenomenal and gave us excellent support." 

Both Captain Downs and Lt. Frye felt the mission was a success and a good experience and opportunity, for both the squadron and the 48th Fighter Wing. 

"It was a great mission to participate in and an excellent opportunity to build alliances for the future," Captain Downs said. "Everyone gave a lot of hard work and dedication for more than 100 days. I want to thank them for that."