The United States military deployed a Raytheon [RTN] Patriot air and missile defense system to Lithuania for the first time during a NATO exercise, the Lithuanian defense ministry said July 11.
The Patriot is set to operate in a single pool with Lithuanian and other NATO ally air defense systems during Exercise Tobruq Legacy 2017, an international ground-based air defense units exercise. This is the first time the exercise is being held in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian defense ministry highlighted the deployment “demonstrates the steadfast U.S. commitment to the security of Lithuania and its high readiness to send strategic capabilities to the region.”
The exercise began on July 11 and will run until July 22 in Lithuania’s Šiauliai district. It involves about 500 soldiers and 30 air defense systems from Lithuania and four other NATO allies: the U.S., United Kingdom, Latvia, and Poland.
Tobruq Legacy 2017 will train interoperability among NATO ground-based air defense units and refine airspace command and control procedures. It overall aims to enhance regional and international integration of joint units, strengthening preparedness for a potential NATO collective defense situation.
The exercise is being conducted concurrently in Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Romania and is under the command of the Romanian-based Joint Force Air Component Command while the official host is the U.S.
This is the third straight year the Lithuanian Air Force is participating in Tobruq Legacy.