RAF to protect European skies on NATO바카라 사이트橲 eastern flank
UK jets will protect the skies of NATO바카라 사이트檚 eastern flank once again, working for the first time with Sweden to protect Polish airspace.
Defence Minister Lord Coaker at a ceremony in Poland to kick off the enhanced air policing mission.
UK jets will protect the skies of NATO바카라 사이트檚 eastern flank once again, working for the first time with Sweden to protect Polish airspace.
British built Typhoon jets arrived聽in Eastern Poland today, to take part in a NATO enhanced air policing mission.
RAF pilots will join up with Swedish Airforce Gripen fighter jets, as Europe steps up together to defend NATO airspace. The deployment is the first time that Swedish fighter jets will take part in air policing on the territory of another NATO Ally since they joined the alliance in 2024.
Touching down in Poland on Tuesday (1 April), Defence Minister Lord Coaker met with Polish Deputy Prime Minister W艂adys艂aw Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz and Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson, to outline the UK바카라 사이트檚 commitment to European security and to mark the start of the operation.
Defence Minister Lord Coaker said:
The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to NATO. With threats increasing and growing Russian aggression, it is vital that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies.
This latest air policing mission in Poland displays the UK바카라 사이트檚 ability to operate effectively with NATO바카라 사이트檚 newest member in Sweden and deter our common adversaries across the alliance바카라 사이트檚 airspace, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.
The mission comes as European NATO allies are stepping up on European security and defence spending. NATO remains the cornerstone of UK Defence and this government will continue to pursue a 바카라 사이트淣ATO first바카라 사이트� defence policy and take on a leadership role in the alliance.
Keeping the country safe is the 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of defence is critical to the security and stability of the UK, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, whilst supporting all of the 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 five missions as a foundation of its plan.
Poland is also a key UK defence and security partner, NATO Ally and partner in the European Group of Five (E5). Our nations have both been large supporters of Ukraine and have the led the way in increasing defence spending in Europe.聽
In last week바카라 사이트檚 Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced an additional 拢2.2 billion for defence in 2025/26. This comes on top of the announcement of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, as the government will hit 2.5% of GDP spend by April 2027, and has a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament.
This mission follows on from 2024바카라 사이트檚 successful air policing missions across the continent. In April 2024, six Typhoon fighter jets with over two hundred personnel were stationed in Romania defending NATO바카라 사이트檚 eastern border. Followed on by an August 2024 deployment of four cutting edge F-35B jets to Iceland, defending NATO airspace in the high north.
This time, six British built typhoons from II (AC) Squadron聽will be patrolling Polish airspace, having travelled from RAF Lossiemouth.
바카라 사이트婻AF Typhoons and Voyagers also conduct NATO air policing in the UK through the Quick Reaction Alert Force, based at RAF Coningsby, Lossiemouth and Brize Norton, protecting UK airspace 24/7, 365 days a year.