The Ministries of Defence of the Netherlands and Norway have jointly announced that their respective Air Forces will deploy a contingent of F-35 fighter jets to Poland in September 2025.

According to the Dutch MoD, the deployment is intended to "protect military equipment destined to Ukraine" and ensure they "reach their destination safely." Meanwhile, the Norwegian MoD clarified that the jets will help "maintain security around Rzeszów Airport and Polish airspace, as part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD)." Specifically, the 5th-generation fighters will conduct Air Policing and Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions from 1 September to 1 December 2025.

While it has not been officially confirmed whether the deployment falls under NATO’s enhanced Air Policing (eAP) framework in Poland, the reference to IAMD suggests a broader initiative to bolster the Alliance’s air posture along the Eastern flank. Another indication that this is a distinct mission from eAP is the Norwegian MoD’s mention of Rzeszów Airport as the operational base—whereas the eAP mission in Poland is typically conducted from Malbork Air Base.

This upcoming deployment follows a precedent set in December 2024, when four Norwegian F-35s were stationed in Poland at Poznan Air Base to reinforce NATO’s IAMD efforts and protect the critical logistics hub at Rzeszów.

While the exact number of aircraft to be deployed has not been disclosed, it is reasonable to expect at least four Dutch and four Norwegian F-35s, which is the standard minimum for NATO Air Policing missions.

As of June 2025, NATO’s eAP presence in Poland included six TYPHOON fighters from the UK’s Royal Air Force and six JAS-39 GRIPENs from the Swedish Air Force. Both deployments are believed to have concluded, although no official statements have been released. For Sweden, the eAP mission marked its first-ever participation in NATO Air Policing since joining the Alliance in March 2024.

Notably, at the end of May, Sweden also deployed an additional package of six JAS-39 GRIPENs to Malbork. According to the Swedish MoD, these aircraft are operating "within the framework of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD)," separate from the six GRIPENs previously assigned to the eAP mission.

Taken together, these developments indicate that NATO is moving to strengthen its forward air posture along the Eastern flank—not only through continued Air Policing—but also by expanding the scope and intensity of its Integrated Air and Missile Defence presence.

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