Four Saab Gripen-Cs on BAP duties. The lead aircraft is a Hungarian Air Force example, distinguished by the fuel tanks under each wing, while the two Czech jets only carry drop tanks on their central hard point.

Two Hungarian Gripen-Cs running ‘Hot’ over Lithuania. Both are armed with live AIM-120C5 AMRAAMs under the wings and AIM-9P Sidewinders on the wingtip rails. The furthest aircraft is fitted with a Litening III laser designator pod, used during BAP to positively identify Russian aircraft

Brigadier General Jaroslav Mika, the base commander at Caslav, was tasked with ensuring that the Czech Air Force’s Gripens completed their unusually long six month BAP stint at Siauliai in Lithuania

Three of the four Gripens returned to Caslav with unusual missile load-outs. This example is fitted with four AIM-9M Sidewinders and two AIM-120C5 AMRAAMs, as well as the Litening III laser designator pod. It was safer to transport the live missiles by air than to send them by road in a lorry

A Czech Air Force Gripen-C parked in a Rubb aircraft shelter, armed with an AMRAAM plus a Litening III laser designator pod. The jet was operating on a ‘Cold’ week, hence was not carrying a Sidewinder

Lt Col Michal Danek (centre) the Czech Air Force DetCo and a veteran of 2,000 Gripen hours stands alongside colleagues at Siauliai