F‑22 Raptors Arrive in Poland

The F‑22 Raptor fighter jets will provide a major upgrade for NATO’s air shielding mission spanning from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
Today, the U.S. Air Force in Europe released a statement detailing that 12 U.S. Air Force F‑22 Raptors assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron forward deployed to the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, Poland. Current reports dictate that six of those Raptors have now arrived in support of NATO’s ‘air shielding’ mission, which is centered around deterring “any possible Russian aggression” and shielding the airspace along NATO’s Eastern borders. The deployment is unprecedented for the Raptor force, which had just sent a pair of Raptors to Poland a few years ago as a goodwill and training drill. It’s also the first time the F‑22 has been deployed to Europe since Russia’s invasion began. You can read our initial reporting on the F‑22’s arrival in Europe which details how unique the deployment is here. The fifth-generation stealth fighters were chosen for this particular NATO mission because of their “ability to provide lethality and survivability against any emerging high-end threats,” according to the USAF. “The NATO Air Shielding mission integrates Allied Air and Surface Based Air and Missile Defense units into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense system under NATO Command and Control,” read a USAF press release. “It will provide …