PODGORICA (Montenegro), May 30 (SeeNews) – Italy and Greece will begin NATO air patrols over Montenegro on June 5, the Alliance has said.
Montenegro has asked NATO allies to help secure its airspace after joining the organisation in June 2017, as the country does not have its own fighter aircraft, NATO said in a statement on Tuesday.
Italy and Greece will now help protect the Montenegrin airspace and their fighter jets will continue to be based in the home countries, taking to the skies as necessary, the Alliance said.
Air policing missions protect the skies of those allies that do not have their own air force, and there are currently several such missions across Europe, NATO added.
NATO air policing jets take to the skies in response to military or civilian aircraft in distress, or those that do not follow international flight regulations and approach the airspace of NATO allies. Often, these aircraft fail to properly identify themselves, communicate with air traffic control or file flight plans.