Dutch F-35 aircraft before takeoff at Graf Ignatievo Air Base near Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on April 14, 2022. Getty Images/Georgi Paleykov/NurPhoto
As reported by the Twitter account @DowOperSZ
The Royal Netherlands Air Force’s F-35 fighters have begun patrolling Polish skies. The aircraft are stationed at the base in the village of Kshesiny near Poznań, according to the Polish Armed Forces’ Operational Command.
Its mission is to strengthen the defense of Poland’s airspace and the NATO eastern flank, notably by participating in an air mission in support of the NSATU program – NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine.
“Their mission is to support the defense of Poland’s airspace and the NATO eastern flank, including by participating in an air mission in support of the NSATU program – NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine.”
– The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces
In July, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans said that these F-35 fighters would arrive in Poland this autumn to patrol the country’s airspace.
Such a deployment allows the Netherlands to join Norway, which had previously announced the deployment of its aircraft to Poland, bolstering NATO’s air and missile defense.
In December 2024, Poland deployed the Norwegian NASAMS to defend the logistics hub in Rzeszów – a key node of aid to Ukraine.
Context and Significance
Patrolling Poland’s skies with Dutch F-35s and Norway’s active involvement demonstrate the strengthening of transatlantic cooperation and attention to the security of the eastern region. Such steps are aimed at increasing the operational readiness of the air forces in response to potential threats and supporting Ukraine within NATO.
This deployment emphasizes the shared effort to bolster Europe’s defense and signals a unified position on regional stability in the current international security context.
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