Two F-35s from Leeuwarden Air Base carried out their first interception from Poland. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense on Twitter.
The interception involved three aircraft: a Russian IL-20M Coot-A aircraft escorted by two SU-27 Flankers. The F-35s escorted them from a distance and handed over escort to NATO partners.
In January, eight F-35s left Leeuwarden for Malbork Air Base near the city of Gdansk, in northern Poland. Four of the aircraft will be available in February and March for surveillance of NATO airspace over Eastern Europe. This is called ‘air policing’, or the interception of unidentified aircraft entering the airspace without permission.
The other four aircraft here participate in training with allies to improve cooperation between the various NATO countries and to send a signal to Russia.