Dutch and Norwegian F-35s will deploy to Poland to protect NATO airspace and Ukraine-bound supply routes, signaling increased Western air presence and readiness on Europe’s eastern flank amid Russian threats.
Beginning on September 1, the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s fifth-generation fighters will assume responsibility for monitoring NATO airspace over Eastern Europe. The air police mission will ensure that supply lines within Poland, which provide military aid to Ukraine, are protected. The RNAF’s Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs will further defend the international military alliance’s eastern flank. The mission will be coordinated with Norway, another NATO operator of the F-35.
The NATO F-35 Jets Will Protect Poland All Day, Every Day
The Dutch and Norwegian multirole stealth fighters will be based in Poland and are set to arrive in late August, carrying out the mission until December 1. The aircraft and its pilots will be tasked with “quick reaction alert” duties, meaning that the warplane will be ready for action 24/7 during the deployment to intercept any possible intruders in NATO airspace while also responding to other aerial threats.
“It is essential that we make our contribution to the defense of NATO territory and the security of Europe,” the Netherlands Minister of Defense, Ruben Brekelmans, said in a statement. “We do this again with our most advanced capabilities. By deploying these Dutch F-35s to monitor the airspace above Eastern Europe, we protect military equipment that is destined for Ukraine.”
The top Dutch defense official added that the RNAF and Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) were tasked as each operates the most advanced aircraft in the NATO bloc. The aircraft will operate under the command of NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). It will enable a quicker response to threats, particularly those from Russia.
“By deploying these Dutch F-35s to monitor the airspace above Eastern Europe, we protect military equipment that is destined for Ukraine. We can also respond quickly to (threatened) violations of NATO airspace. In this way, we keep the Russian threat at bay,” Brekelmans explained.
The Polish Air Force has received its first two F-35s, but both are still in the United States, being used for the training of the first Polish aviators. Warsaw’s F-35 fighters, designated the Husarz in honor of its famed winged hussars, are expected to arrive in Poland in 2026, with deliveries continuing through 2030.
Denmark Increases Its Military Presence in Eastern Europe
This is also the most recent deployment of the F-35 Lightning II from the Netherlands to Russia’s border. RNAF aircraft previously supported NATO Baltic air policing missions, operating from Poland. Eight of the multirole fighters were deployed in early 2023 and spent nearly three months carrying out the mission.
Last December, a Dutch F-35 detachment was stationed in Estonia, where the fifth-generation fighters participated in Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training. Unlike Poland, Estonia has no plans to acquire the F-35, nor does it have any combat fighters.
“It has also recently become apparent in Estonia that the deployment of our F-35s is very effective against this,” Brekelmans explained.
The Netherlands was the second foreign partner, after the United Kingdom, to adopt the stealth multirole aircraft. It selected the Lightning II to replace its aging F-16 Fighting Falcons in 2013, and the first operational F-35 was delivered to the Benelux nation for training. It reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) with the F-35 in 2021 and Full Operational Capability (FOC) three years later.
In addition to employing its F-35s in NATO’s air policing mission, the Netherlands has supported Kyiv’s war effort against Russia by sending its retired American-made F-16 to Ukraine.
Norway is also the first foreign partner to fulfill its program of record, and the RNoAF received its final F-35As on April 1 of this year.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Bill Chizek.
