Six Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft from the British Royal Air Force have joined Gripen jet fighters from the Swedish Air Force for their first NATO enhanced air policing mission since Sweden joined the alliance in 2024. The U.K. government said the RAF jets arrived in Poland on Wednesday to team up with their Swedish counterparts in patrolling NATO’s eastern flank.
A separate RAF announcement noted that the mission, codenamed Operation Chessman, was launched from the 22nd Air Base at Malbork in northern Poland. According to the Polish Ministry of Defense, the joint air patrol mission will run for two years.
Mission Sendoff
U.K. Defence Minister Vernon Coaker was in Poland on Tuesday to meet with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz and Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson for a ceremony marking the start of the mission and to discuss British support for European security.
Commenting on the British-Swedish mission, Coaker described the United Kingdom’s commitment to NATO as “unshakeable,” saying, “With threats increasing and growing Russian aggression, it is vital that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies.”
Security and Defense Spending
The U.K. government said the air patrols will start as European NATO countries boost the region’s security and defense spending. It also stressed London’s goal of holding a leadership role in the alliance and commitment to national security.
U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last week that London will increase defense spending by $2.9 billion in 2025-2026. The boost aligns with government projections that the U.K.’s defense expenditures will account for 2.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product by April 2027, with a commitment toward the 3 percent level in the next Parliament’s term.