NATO “FLYING RADAR” ON EXERCISE IN LITHUANIA.

An E-3A airplane of theAtlantic Alliance, dubbed Flying Radar, exercised yesterday in Lithuanianair space and landed at Siauliai airbase. Lithuanian fighter planesparticipated in the exercise as escorts to the E-3A. According to Russiansources, the plane carries an early-warning radar system capable ofmonitoring movements hundreds of kilometers inside Russian airspace.According to the Siauliai commander, the base might become a “reserve site”for forward deployment of NATO flying radars currently based in Germany.Siauliai is considered to have been the main Soviet airbase in the Balticstates. It would, however, require substantial modernization to make itsuitable for NATO use. (Russian agencies, June 2)

ULMANIS SEES DESTABILIZATION RISK IN RUSSIAN RHETORIC.