ALBAWABA- Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted three Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday, escorting them at a safe distance over international waters to the edge of NATO’s area of responsibility, the Dutch Defense Ministry announced on Monday.
Since December, Dutch F-35s have been stationed in Estonia as part of NATO’s mission to secure its eastern borders. Under the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) protocol, two F-35s are deployed to intercept any unidentified aircraft approaching NATO airspace.
“This is why our personnel are there: to protect our collective airspace against Russian threats,” Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated. “As demonstrated again on Friday, Russian forces remain active near NATO airspace.”
Netherlands - Dutch, Finnish, Swedish Jets Intercept Russian Aircraft
— GeoTrends (@geotrendsx) December 18, 2024
Dutch F-35s, alongside Finnish and Swedish forces, intercepted Russian aircraft with supersonic missiles over the Baltic Sea. No details on the aircraft's intentions. Dutch jets patrol NATO's eastern border… pic.twitter.com/1ccHF78Epl
