"For the first time in the framework of the enhanced NATO Air Police mission, Gripen 🇸🇪 fighters picked up in consequence to Russian aircraft presence close NATO airspace," reported NATO Air Force Command in entry on X.
The communication besides noted that "Swedish forces are presently deployed in Malbork along with the Royal British Air Force". Thus "demonstrate the smooth integration and constant safeguarding of the integrity of the Alliance's territory – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round," we read.
It wasn't revealed erstwhile precisely the incidental occurred. SAAB JAS 39 Gripen is simply a Swedish light multitasking fighter manufactured by SAAB in cooperation with BAE Systems.
Machines of this kind are presently stationed in the 22nd Tactical Aviation Base of the Brig. Gen. Stanisław Skalski in Malbork – a tactical unit of the Polish Air Force.
It's another incident.
This is another incidental in fresh days in which allied air force stationed in Malbork was involved. As RMF FM reminds, a week ago the national defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish reported about the attack of British Eurofighter Typhoon fighters "in order to defend the airspace over Poland, Baltic countries and in consequence to threats from the Russian Federation".
Allied fighters stationed in Malbork and, as part of the Baltic Air Police mission, in Lithuanian Saul and Estonian Amari, regularly patrol the airspace over the Baltic States, Poland and the Baltic Sea region.
One of their key tasks is to respond to repeated incidents involving Russian aircraft, including cases of NATO airspace breaches or failure to respond to radio calls.
