NATO Approves Funding for Constructions of Jet Fuel Storage Facility in Lithuania

October 1, 2012 defpro.com

On September 25 NATO Investment Committee supported the allocation of funds for constructions of a jet fuel storage facility at the Lithuanian Air Force’s Air Base in Siauliai. Approximately 24 million Litas have been budgeted for the implementation of the project from the NATO Security Investment Program.

“The project will hel improve the infrastructure of the Air Base of the Lithuanian Air Force, which the a NATO base as well, and enhance conditions for the Baltic Air Policing mission based there. We are very happy to receive approximately 24 million Litas for the constructions of jet fuel storage from the NATO Security Investment Program,” Minister of National Defence Rasa Jukneviciene said.

According to Minister, the project is vital both to Lithuania and NATO finalising the development of the Air Base and bringing it in line with NATO needs and requirements.

The new facility is expected to store up to 2,000 m³ of jet fuel.

Ministry of National Defence will finance constructions of approximately 1.3 km of railway branch-line for transporting tanks of jet fuel to the storage facility, and electricity power lines. Nearly 6 million Litas will be paid to the state budget as value added tax (VAT) by the Ministry of National Defence with the completion of the project.

In the period between 2004 and 2011 the NATO Security Investment Program allocated approximately 124 million Litas for the completion of projects in Lithuania: approximately 121 million Litas was used for the development of infrastructure at the Lithuanian Air Force’s Air Base and approx. 3 million Litas – for the Joint Baltic Control and Reporting Centre in Karmelava. NATO financing was employed for building the main and auxiliary runways, fighter-jet arresting gear and shelters, platforms for fighter-jets and transport aircraft, administrative facilities, taxiways, roads, ammunition storage, and other elements of infrastructure at the Siauliai Air Base.

NATO Security Investment Programme covers development of infrastructure and procurement of equipment in compliance with NATO’s strategic objectives. Such investments exceed national defence requirements of individual NATO members and may be used for the infrastructure of military headquarters, air and sea ports, procurement of communications and information systems, navigation equipment, constructions of fuel storages and pipelines.