Lithuania Seeks Faster NATO Drone Interception Procedures
The move comes after a drone believed to be Ukrainian crossed into Lithuania from Poland and exploded on Sunday, according to reports.
Sinkevicius said Monday that current rules require fighter pilots to visually identify an object before engaging it, even when radar systems have already detected the target. Poor weather and heavy cloud cover, however, can make visual confirmation difficult or impossible.
The prime minister expects the consultations with NATO to conclude within approximately one month. He also suggested that the alliance could allow individual member states to decide how to respond to unidentified objects entering their airspace.
Lithuanian officials identified the crashed drone as Ukrainian and said it was carrying explosives. Ukraine subsequently apologized, explaining that it had lost contact with one of its unmanned aircraft during an attack.
The incident has triggered a reassessment of Lithuania's air-defense procedures and highlighted concerns about the speed at which unidentified aircraft can be intercepted within NATO territory.
Sinkevicius said the government would also examine whether national procedures could be amended to permit interception based on radar information alone, eliminating the requirement for visual identification before taking action.
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