Two Dutch F-35 fighter jets shot down several training drones over the Baltic Sea this week. They fired AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in the process. The exercise took place in controlled airspace and was carried out on the initiative of the Netherlands and Estonia.
Estonia provided the drones for the exercise, which, according to the Dutch armed forces, provided pilots with “a valuable opportunity to train tactics to combat multiple drones simultaneously”. Such counter-drone missions are now an integral part of the F-35 mission portfolio within NATO.
The fact that drones are indeed a growing threat was demonstrated just last week when Dutch F-35 jets supported the Polish air surveillance system. The reason for this was a massive Russian attack with missiles and drones on Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war), which borders directly on Poland.
F-35 missions over Estonia
Since the end of last year, four Dutch F-35 fighter jets have been stationed in Estonia to protect NATO’s eastern flank from Russian airspace violations. The Dutch contingent comprises 90 to 150 soldiers. To date, the F-35 jets have already flown ten missions to intercept Russian aircraft, identifying a total of 18 aircraft.
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