This morning at around 5:00 CEST, an Italian Air Force Gulfstream E.550 CAEW (registration MM62293) departed Pratica di Mare Air Base in Italy, heading north.
The aircraft is an airborne early warning and control aircraft (AWACS) used by the Italian Air Force. It is equipped with a powerful radar system that can detect and track aircraft at long range.
The aircraft arrived in Lithuania, where it orbited for about 5 hours before landing at Šiauliai Air Base. Šiauliai Air Base is located in northwestern Lithuania, near the border with Russia.
At Šiauliai Air Base, the Gulfstream E.550 CAEW joined Task Force Air 4th Wing Baltic Horse III, a group of Italian Typhoon fighters that are currently conducting a NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltic states.
The NATO Air Policing mission is designed to deter and defend against any potential aerial threats to the Baltic states.