1 Aviacijos Baze Šiauliai (Lithuania) 2007

Opportunity of visit to Baltic Air Policing was used by the author to read up on the Lithuanian Air Force and its main base at Šiauliai.
Furthermore, Lithuanian hosts offered the chance to fly with C-27J and An-26 to take pictures of the other aircraft.

01 is one of the L-410 which were delivered to Lithuania from East German stocks.

Newest and most modern aircraft in Lithuanian inventory is this C-27J delivered in 2006.

Lithuanian L-39 came from Kyrgyzstan. Two of six aircraft are currently overhauled while the others are in storage.

Also based at Šiauliai are An-2 ...

... and Mi-8.

These Learjet target towing aircraft of U.S. company Phoenix Air are waiting for their next mission in Šiauliai.

02 flew with East German Air Force too and is still wearing the old camouflage.

An-26 is ready to drop (civilian and military) parachutists, C-27J will escort it.

Parachutists are dropped ...

... and now An-26 poses for the photographers sitting in the open rear door of the C-27J.

After the last parachutist left An-26, ...

... it serves as platform to photograph the C-27J.

Author thanks Major Jurius Jakšys, First Lieutenant Agne Balciauskyte, Second Lieutenant Ieva Kuzminaite and all Lithuanian officials who made the visit possible.