Media Day w 22. Bazie Lotnictwa Taktycznego w Malborku

A Polish F-16, part of a NATO detachment with allied countries, participate in an air exercise know as air policing flies over Northern Poland Tuesday, March 21, 2023.The aircraft took off and took part in the air poling exercise from a base in Malbork, Poland, to show at todays event that third, fourth and fifth generation aircraft are being used by allies to ensure a “safe eastern flank of Europe. Dutch, Polish and French aircraft were used in the exercise. “We are keeping watch; we are vigilant 24/7, we have awareness 24/7, and we’re able to respond to deter and and if necessary defend allies,” said Manfred Reudenbach, Public Affairs Office with the NATO Allied Air Command while answering questions. Air policing has been in use since 1961, but since 2014 and Russia’s invasion of Crimea, NATO has opened a second base for air police measures and use of other bases, like the one in Malbork, Poland, in the furtherance of the mission. According to Reudenbach, “what has changed since last February of 2022 is NATO has developed air shielding. So the jets that are here, eight Dutch F-35 jets are here, part of the air policing mission and the other part is here to train with allies in the region, and not only in the region, they also took part in missions to shield the Eastern flank in Romania.”