Four Polish F-16s took the lead of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission on Tuesday from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The F-16s will operate out of Siauliai AB, Lithuania, and will be supported by five Spanish F-18s, which will operate out of Amari AB, Estonia. Spain replaced the German Air Force in its support role. This is the sixth time Poland has led air policing mission, according to a NATO release.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.