Crime
Sweden Deploys Gripen Fighters to Poland for NATO's First Air Policing Operation
Sweden Marks First NATO Air Policing Deployment with Gripens in Poland
Sweden has officially launched its first forward deployment under NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission, marking a key milestone for the country as the alliance's newest member.
On March 26, 2025, six Swedish Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets arrived at the 22nd Air Base in Malbork, Poland. This marks the first time Sweden has deployed combat aircraft to another NATO ally since joining the alliance on March 7, 2024.
Operated by the Norrbotten Wing Fighter Squadron, the Gripens will work under NATO Allied Air Command and the Combined Air Operations Centre. The Swedish jets will work in tandem with the UK’s Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons from the II Army Cooperation Squadron, stationed at RAF Lossiemouth.
The Gripens will remain stationed at Malbork for the duration of their mission, conducting Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties to monitor and safeguard NATO airspace.
"Putin has made NATO bigger and more integrated"
During a ceremony at Malbork Air Base on April 1, 2025, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson, Polish Defence Minister W?adys?aw Kosiniak-Kamysz, and British Minister of State Lord Vernon Coaker emphasized the mission's significance in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and regional security.
“Sweden joined NATO one year and twenty-three days ago, and by joining, Sweden is safer and NATO is stronger,” Jonson said. “Our mission wasn’t just to join NATO for security, but also to contribute to providing security.”
Prior to this deployment, Sweden had only supported NATO’s Air Policing operations from its own territory. This move marks a notable shift in Sweden’s operational role within the alliance, reinforcing its commitment to NATO’s principles of collective defense and deterrence.
Lord Vernon Coaker highlighted the united European effort to enhance security, stating, “Today, we stand together on Polish soil with one clear message: Europe is stepping up for European security. Instead of weakening NATO, Putin has made NATO bigger and more integrated, especially with the additions of Sweden and Finland.”
NATO initiated its enhanced Air Policing mission in 2014 in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The mission is designed to bolster airspace security along NATO’s eastern borders, complementing the Baltic Air Policing mission, which has been active since 2004 to protect the Baltic states from aerial threats and provide air support during emergencies.
