February 11, C-27J „Spartan" with troops of the National Support Element (NSE-4) coming back from the multinational mission in Afghanistan aboard landed at Šiauliai Air Base.
The 20-strong NSE-4 included specialists of various sectors (finance, procurement, freight and movement control, storage, and others) led by officer of the Logistic Command of the Joint Headquarters Maj Vidas Šilaika joined the mission in July of 2010.
National Support Unit was established as a result of transformation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and in order to enhance efficiency of logistic provision of Lithuanian military units deployed on multinational operations and control of that process. On theatre NSE is responsible for procurement process, storage, provision, record and write-off of real assets, organisation of financial resources from the Lithuanian Armed Forces, of registration of arriving military and civilians and organisation of their further movement, etc.
The main unit of NSE is deployed in Kabul International Airport. Separate groups of NSE serve in Kandahar Airport, and NSE Logistic Group - at the base of the Lithuanian-led PRT in Chaghcharan.
Currently Lithuania has around 200 troops in Afghanistan. They serve in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan as Chaghcharan PRT, ISAF headquarters in Kabul and Herat, and ISAF mission in southern Afghanistan.
Pictures by Antanas Gedrimas (LAF AB)
