Norway Deploys F-35 Jets to Poland for NATO Air Defense Mission

Norway is deploying its advanced F-35 fighter jets to Poland to undertake a critical NATO air defense mission, a move that significantly bolsters the alliance’s eastern flank amid heightened regional tensions. The deployment, scheduled to begin this month, comes in direct response to the escalating “hybrid” threats and conventional military risks facing Poland and its neighbors.
According to a statement from the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the pilots and their 5th-generation stealth fighters will be stationed at an air base near Poznań in western Poland. Their primary task will be to conduct NATO’s air policing mission, a 24/7 operation to safeguard the airspace of member nations.
Crucially, the Norwegian pilots will operate under a robust rules-of-engagement framework, authorized to intercept and, if necessary, shoot down any drones or aircraft that violate or threaten Polish airspace. While the pilots will be the first responders in the sky, the final decision on the use of lethal force will rest with the NATO Allied Air Command, ensuring any action is part of a coordinated alliance response.
This deployment is not a routine rotation; it is a direct reaction to a rapidly deteriorating security environment. For the past two weeks, a widespread and coordinated campaign of drone incursions, widely attributed to Russia, has plagued Northern and Central Europe. These “hybrid” attacks have targeted and shut down major airports in Denmark, Germany, and Norway, and have also been observed over military installations in Belgium and Sweden.
Furthermore, Poland’s airspace has been under direct pressure from the war in neighboring Ukraine. Russian missiles have repeatedly strayed close to or entered Polish airspace, and just last week, massive Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine forced NATO to scramble jets over Poland to protect its border.
The decision to deploy the F-35—NATO’s most advanced fighter jet—is a powerful signal of resolve. The aircraft’s sophisticated sensors and networking capabilities are exceptionally well-suited to detecting and tracking the small, elusive drones used in the recent hybrid attacks, as well as countering advanced Russian military aircraft and cruise missiles.
By stationing these top-tier assets in Poland, Norway and the NATO alliance are sending a clear message of deterrence to Moscow and reassuring Warsaw of their ironclad commitment to collective defense under Article 5.