Dutch F-35s have been patrolling the eastern border of the Alliance since this month. Friday’s launch of two F-35s from Estonia was part of this deployment. As part of the alliance’s rapid reaction forces, they are supposed to intercept any unidentified aircraft approaching NATO airspace.
“That’s why our people are there: to protect our collective airspace against Russian threats,” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said today. “As it became clear again on Friday, Russian forces are active in every way in the vicinity of NATO airspace,” he added.
Since the accession of the three Baltic countries to NATO in 2004, their skies have been protected by alliance fighters, as Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn do not have the necessary aircraft. Czech pilots guarded the skies above the Baltic for the last time the year before last, with four JAS-39 Gripen aircraft they were deployed for five months in Lithuania.
The Danes stopped a Chinese ship that sailed from Russia
Europe
