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U.S. deploys advanced anti-aircraft missiles in Baltics for first time

F-22Raptor

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The United States deployed a battery of Patriot long-range anti-aircraft missiles in Lithuania to be used in NATO wargames from Tuesday - the first time the advanced defense system has been brought to the Baltics where Russia has air superiority.

The Patriot battery was brought to the Siauliai military airbase on Monday, ahead of the Tobruk Legacy exercise, and will be withdrawn when the exercise ends on July 22, a Lithuanian defense ministry spokeswoman told Reuters.

The NATO wargames take place ahead of the large-scale Zapad 2017 exercise by Russia and Belarus which NATO officials believe could bring more than 100,000 troops to the borders of Poland and the three Baltic NATO allies - the biggest such Russian maneuvers since 2013.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia possess only short-range anti-aircraft missiles, leaving the skies largely unprotected in the event of hostilities and have expressed concern about their air defense weakness following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

As a deterrent to Russia in the flashpoint region, the United States has deployed detachments of troops since the Crimea annexation, which have been augmented by four NATO battle groups of more than 1,000 soldiers.

Referring to the NATO exercise starting on Tuesday, Lithuania's Defence Minister Raimondas Karoblis said: "The deployment of Patriots is important because it demonstrates that such moves are no longer a taboo in the region."

"It proves that the missiles can be brought to wherever they are needed, which is very important," he told Reuters.

"Air defense, including ground-based defenses, is one of the holes in our defenses, and we will not solve it without help from our allies," he said.

The Patriot batteries were used in 200 combat engagements against manned and unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, according to its maker U.S. firm Raytheon.

NATO ally Poland said last week that the United States had agreed to sell it Patriot missile defense systems. In March it said it expected to sign a deal worth up to $7.6 billion with Raytheon to buy eight Patriot systems by the end of the year.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-baltics-patriot-idUSKBN19V28A
 
The United States deployed a battery of Patriot long-range anti-aircraft missiles in Lithuania to be used in NATO wargames from Tuesday - the first time the advanced defense system has been brought to the Baltics where Russia has air superiority.

The Patriot battery was brought to the Siauliai military airbase on Monday, ahead of the Tobruk Legacy exercise, and will be withdrawn when the exercise ends on July 22, a Lithuanian defense ministry spokeswoman told Reuters.

The NATO wargames take place ahead of the large-scale Zapad 2017 exercise by Russia and Belarus which NATO officials believe could bring more than 100,000 troops to the borders of Poland and the three Baltic NATO allies - the biggest such Russian maneuvers since 2013.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia possess only short-range anti-aircraft missiles, leaving the skies largely unprotected in the event of hostilities and have expressed concern about their air defense weakness following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

As a deterrent to Russia in the flashpoint region, the United States has deployed detachments of troops since the Crimea annexation, which have been augmented by four NATO battle groups of more than 1,000 soldiers.

Referring to the NATO exercise starting on Tuesday, Lithuania's Defence Minister Raimondas Karoblis said: "The deployment of Patriots is important because it demonstrates that such moves are no longer a taboo in the region."

"It proves that the missiles can be brought to wherever they are needed, which is very important," he told Reuters.

"Air defense, including ground-based defenses, is one of the holes in our defenses, and we will not solve it without help from our allies," he said.

The Patriot batteries were used in 200 combat engagements against manned and unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, according to its maker U.S. firm Raytheon.

NATO ally Poland said last week that the United States had agreed to sell it Patriot missile defense systems. In March it said it expected to sign a deal worth up to $7.6 billion with Raytheon to buy eight Patriot systems by the end of the year.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-baltics-patriot-idUSKBN19V28A

These moves disturb the balance in the region and triggers Russia to bring in more troops/weapons to region to maintain the balance. This is becaming a downward spiral which will end up with massive military build on the Russian - NATO border.
 
And imagine if Russia or China had deployed air defense in Mexico, on the very border with Texas or California? I wonder how the US would react to this?
 
And imagine if Russia or China had deployed air defense in Mexico, on the very border with Texas or California? I wonder how the US would react to this?
We know how would they react from the history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis

More ever, Soviets deployed only after US deployed Jupiter missiles in Turkey.

Things need to be kept at balance, not one side trying to get the upper hand, as it causes arms race.
 
And imagine if Russia or China had deployed air defense in Mexico, on the very border with Texas or California? I wonder how the US would react to this?

Since when is Mexico afraid of the US invading them? We're in the Baltics because those countries want us to be.
 
You think if Mexico joins some kind of defensive alliance with Russia, then US will not mind Russian troops near San-Diego?
Nope!..Read again..once the said happens..we can start speculation. (Note: NATO is a treaty, safeguarding Korea and Japan is a Treaty..so on and so forth)
 
Nope!..Read again..once the said happens..we can start speculation. (Note: NATO is a treaty, safeguarding Korea and Japan is a Treaty..so on and so forth)
I think, some defence agreements between Russia and Cuba still function. If I understood your words correctly - deployment of troops of potentially hostile power near US borders under Treaty of that potentially hostile power with a third party will not cause the US negative reaction? Because of those Treaty - it will be less dangerous to US?
 
You think if Mexico joins some kind of defensive alliance with Russia, then US will not mind Russian troops near San-Diego?
Of course, the would mind about this troop deployment...but what should they do, if you have a legimate defence treaty with Mexico? The US cannot interfere in the politics of a sovereign country.
Naja, yes of course, they can, but it would be illegal by international law...which they hasn`t hindered in the past.:D

But on the other side, it`s the right of the Baltic countries to request assistance from the Nato, where they are part from. I don`t think we can compare the Cuba crisis with thhis Patriot deployment, the ones were offensive missiles, the other are defensive missiles.
 
And imagine if Russia or China had deployed air defense in Mexico, on the very border with Texas or California? I wonder how the US would react to this?
it is the failure of the Russian foreign policy that it has been unable to do anything of the sort. It should have befriended more countries so there would not be a united front that is NATO.
The Bush era was a time where Russia should have wooed more countries and developed stronger links outside the old states of the Soviet Union and its traditional allies. Philippines is one country where inroads by Russia would really change the balance in the region and cause serious worries for the USA.
Deterrence itself can not be enough, as the world order reshapes itself, Russia needs to as well to challenge the current power structure of the world.
With Trump in power, Russia has a chance to make inroads into parts of Europe by reopening dialogue and signing non aggression pacts where possible to reduce the "Russia is going to take over" monologue which is spouted out by multiple nations allied with the USA.
 
You think if Mexico joins some kind of defensive alliance with Russia, then US will not mind Russian troops near San-Diego?

Mexico is not clamoring for an alliance with Russia

it is the failure of the Russian foreign policy that it has been unable to do anything of the sort. It should have befriended more countries so there would not be a united front that is NATO.
The Bush era was a time where Russia should have wooed more countries and developed stronger links outside the old states of the Soviet Union and its traditional allies. Philippines is one country where inroads by Russia would really change the balance in the region and cause serious worries for the USA.
Deterrence itself can not be enough, as the world order reshapes itself, Russia needs to as well to challenge the current power structure of the world.
With Trump in power, Russia has a chance to make inroads into parts of Europe by reopening dialogue and signing non aggression pacts where possible to reduce the "Russia is going to take over" monologue which is spouted out by multiple nations allied with the USA.

If Russia does not pull out Ukraine and Georgia type operations Europe would not be afraid of Russia
Russia's behavior in Ukraine has brought back suspicions of the Russian bear
 
Of course, the would mind about this troop deployment...but what should they do, if you have a legimate defence treaty with Mexico? The US cannot interfere in the politics of a sovereign country.
Naja, yes of course, they can, but it would be illegal by international law...which they hasn`t hindered in the past.:D

But on the other side, it`s the right of the Baltic countries to request assistance from the Nato, where they are part from. I don`t think we can compare the Cuba crisis with thhis Patriot deployment, the ones were offensive missiles, the other are defensive missiles.
Air defense is not only defensive weapon. During the attack on the enemy, the air defense plays a decisive role to prevent the counterattack. That is, it is part of the offensive potential.
This is the Baltic, do you understand or not? This is a border area of Russia. From this land, Western countries always invaded Russia (since the 13th century - the Northern Crusades). I do not understand the West's point of view - they concentrate troops along the Russian borders (note that Russia does not concentrate troops on the border of the US or other Western countries) and at the same time are surprised that Russia is hostile to the West.
 
Air defense is not only defensive weapon. During the attack on the enemy, the air defense plays a decisive role to prevent the counterattack. That is, it is part of the offensive potential.
This is the Baltic, do you understand or not? This is a border area of Russia. From this land, Western countries always invaded Russia (since the 13th century - the Northern Crusades). I do not understand the West's point of view - they concentrate troops along the Russian borders (note that Russia does not concentrate troops on the border of the US or other Western countries) and at the same time are surprised that Russia is hostile to the West.

NATO's build up was due to the annexion of Crimea and the alleged active Russian role in the war in eastern Ukraine,and at the sole demand of the Baltic and eastern European countries,who saw Russia's resurgence and subversive tactics as a direct threat. Not to add the threat of nuking countries or conducting large scale exercices on NATO's borders.

Before Ukraine's events,the US were removing troops from Europe,and pretty much all European countries were cutting their defence budgets and forces.

NATO forces are there on a strictly defensive role to reassure worried members,so no chances for NATO to unleash its troops and tanks on Russia's plains.
 

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