Germany to deploy Eurofighter combat jets in Poland to protect NATO’s eastern flank

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany will station Eurofighter combat jets at the Polish military airbase in the town of Malbork to protect NATO's eastern flank and will also invest €10 billion (about $11.62 billion) in drones, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels.

"We will contribute to the protection of the eastern flank with patrol flights." This will make us "even more active, present, and visible on the alliance's eastern border," he told journalists.

“When (Russian President Vladimir) Putin tests our borders, whether in Poland, Estonia, or elsewhere, we will respond decisively, quickly, and effectively,” Pistorius vowed.

Germany's additional commitment to protecting the eastern flank will be part of the NATO mission code-named "Eastern Sentry," which was launched in September in response to alleged deliberate airspace violations by Russian kamikaze drones in Poland.

The initiative will primarily mobilize additional surveillance and air defense capabilities.

Germany is currently providing four Eurofighter combat jets, which can participate in armed security flights over Poland from the northeastern German air base of Rostock-Laage.

The new mission in Poland is scheduled to begin in December and last until at least March of next year. In addition to Germany, France, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, and Denmark are also participating in ‘Eastern Sentry."

Poland, a member of both the EU and NATO, serves as a critical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine. The German Air Force has been assisting Polish forces with airspace monitoring since April.

Meanwhile, Pistorius said his country plans to invest billions of dollars in all kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles, including attack drones. ​​​​​​​

“Putin’s increasingly aggressive behavior of Russian President Vladimir Putin demonstrates that we cannot let up for a moment in strengthening defense readiness,” the defense minister said.