Two aircraft are deployed for the surveillance of the airspace, two other fighter jets stand ready for this task as reserve. The other four F-35s are deployed for a training program with allies.
Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, Dutch F-35s were also deployed over Poland. At that time, the aircraft still operated from their base in the Netherlands. In April and May last year, Dutch F-35s were stationed at Graf Ignatievo air base in Bulgaria to monitor the airspace there at the request of NATO.
NATO has significantly increased its presence on the eastern flank since the outbreak of war in Ukraine almost a year ago.