Eight F-35s from the Royal Netherlands Air Force will leave for Poland at the end of January to defend NATO’s Eastern flank.
Four of the fighter jets will be available for surveillance of NATO’s airspace over Eastern Europe in February and March. Two of the F-35s will be used to permanently guard NATO’s airspace, while the other two will remain in reserve.
The remaining four fighter jets will be used in a training programme with allies to increase NATO’s presence on the eastern flank and promote cooperation between NATO members.
The fighter jets can take off within minutes to intercept an aircraft, which is necessary, for example, if an aircraft does not identify itself or approaches the airspace without permission.
This is the second time this month that the Netherlands has sent over military personnel to strengthen its military presence in the eastern flank of NATO territory.
On 3 January, the Defence Ministry announced that hundreds of American vehicles would be arriving in Vlissingen, southeast of the Netherlands, between January and February before making their way to Eastern Europe.
“With the eight aircraft, the Netherlands contributes to the defence of NATO’s eastern flank,” the Dutch Defence Ministry said in an emailed press release.
(Sofia Stuart Leeson | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
