A detachment of Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighters from the Netherlands has arrived in Poland to support NATO air operations in Eastern Europe and to provide logistic support to Ukraine.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) deployed an undisclosed number of fighters from Volkel air base on 29 August as part of NATO’s air policing mission along the alliance’s eastern frontier with Russia. The planned three-month deployment will see Dutch aircraft monitor for unauthorised airspace incursions and serve as a quick-reaction force capable of intercepting unidentified aircraft and other threats.
In addition to monitoring activity along the Russian border region, the RNLAF fighters are charged with protecting shipments of arms and materiel destined for Ukraine. The deployment was requested by NATO headquarters in Belgium.
The Netherlands says its aircraft will remain within NATO territory while carrying out the mission, which will be overseen by the alliance’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe command centre in Casteau, Belgium.
Dutch fighters in 2024 provided similar support to NATO’s Baltic air policing mission in Estonia.
In addition to deploying tactical aircraft, the Netherlands in the coming months is to begin supplying ground-based air defences to protect the “NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine” mission, which involves overseeing the transfer of military equipment to Kyiv and coordinating the training of Ukrainian soldiers.
The RNLAF operates 46 F-35As, according to fleet analytics firm Cirium, and holds options to acquire a further 11 jets. Lockheed Martin lists the Dutch F-35 fleet as having reached full operational capacity in 2024.
Amsterdam in 2023 committed to transfer its full fleet of 42 legacy Lockheed F-16A/B fourth-generation fighters to the Ukrainian air force.
Just 18 of those remain in service with the RNLAF, according to Cirium, with the transfers to Kyiv having begun in 2024. Belgium, Denmark, France and Norway have also committed second-hand tactical fighters to Ukraine.
