Lithuania gets third C-27J Spartan ready for Afghan mission

The Lithuanian air force is scrambling to ready its third and last Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan for service supporting the country's troops in Afghanistan.

The aircraft, recently delivered to its home base at Siauliai, will this week transfer from Italian to Lithuanian registry and have its formal, religious "baptism" ceremony on Wednesday morning before its first operational mission later in the week. Base commander Lt Col Virginijus Steponavicius says base personnel are engaged in intensive pre-operational checks to get the aircraft ready for what will be a highly demanding service. Read more...