RAF Typhoons join NATO air-defence mission over Poland amid drone incursions
UK jets participate in Eastern Sentry as alliance strengthens eastern flank after Russian drone activity in Polish airspace
Two Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters conducted a Nato air-defence mission over Poland on Friday night as part of an allied response to Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, the Ministry of Defence said. The operation is part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission, announced on Sept. 10 after 19 drone incursions into Polish airspace.
Two fighter jets took off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and were supported by an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft before returning to the United Kingdom early Saturday, the MoD said. The mission followed NATO’s announcement of Eastern Sentry and reflects the alliance’s intent to bolster its eastern flank as tensions escalate in the region. Defence Secretary John Healey said the flights sent "a clear signal: NATO airspace will be defended" and he praised the pilots and air crew who took part in the operation.
Healey, who visited RAF Brize Norton five days after the Friday night flight to confirm the United Kingdom’s involvement, described Russia’s actions as "reckless, dangerous and unprecedented." He said: "When we are threatened, we respond together." The operation also carries historical resonance: it comes 85 years after the Battle of Britain, when Polish pilots fought alongside the RAF to defend Britain’s skies during World War II. Healey added: "It is especially poignant that RAF pilots and crew are once again standing shoulder to shoulder with Poland in defence of our shared security." Marshal Harv Smyth, chief of the Air Staff, said the UK's "partnership with Nato has never been stronger" and that the force remains "agile, integrated, and ready to project airpower at range."
By Friday, the NATO mission appeared in a broader pattern of escalations: a drone was detected over Romania, and then Russian warplanes entered Estonia’s airspace after incursions into Poland this month. Moscow has repeatedly denied or downplayed such violations.
Officials stressed that the deployment demonstrates NATO’s readiness to defend allied territory and deter further aggression. The operation underscores long-standing defense ties between Britain and Poland, a shared history that dates to the wartime collaboration during the Battle of Britain.
