As a result of the last Polish-German defence consultations, which took place on 1 December in Berlin, a decision was made to strengthen the protection of Polish airspace.

As Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz – the Polish Minister of Defence – stated, the talks with the German counterpart are "an important step for the security of Polish and Europe". As part of the agreed cooperation, Germany will maintain its involvement in Polish air defense. What is more, it is planned to deploy their Eurofighter Typhoon fighters (operating in the structures of the German Air Force) in the mission of patrolling the Polish skies as part of the "Shield East"[1].

So far, German forces have been involved in protecting the airspace of allies, m.in as part of missions over Slovakia. Sending fighter jets to Polish is another step in allied solidarity and strengthening the eastern flank[2].

Eurofighter Typhoon

The aircraft that Germany plans to deploy over Poland is the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter - one of the most advanced combat platforms used by NATO air forces today. It is a twin-engine multirole aircraft, designed to perform both air-to-air missions (intercepting intruders, defending airspace) and strike tasks against ground targets. Thanks to the use of a structure made of composite materials, this aircraft is relatively light - which, in combination with the drive of two engines, allows it to be very maneuverable, quickly reach high speeds and highly effective in operational operations[4].

Eurofighters are equipped with modern avionics systems, radars and sensors that allow for detecting, identifying and tracking aerial objects – this provides a real ability to react immediately to air threats[5]. The range of these machines (on the order of almost 2900 km) and the ability to fly at speeds exceeding 2 times the speed of sound allow them to effectively patrol the airspace, conduct QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) operations and take defensive or deterrent actions[6].

In 2025, Germany has already sent Eurofighter fighters to Polish - the aim was to strengthen the air defense of NATO's eastern flank, in response to growing threats in the region. In the first half of August, five German aircraft of this type were deployed in the 23. Tactical Air Base in Mińsk Mazowiecki, located east of Warsaw - about 150 Luftwaffe soldiers were also sent with them[7]. According to official announcements, the machines were sent to patrol the airspace and support Polish forces in securing the regional sky[8].

In October 2025, the next stage was announced – this time the base for Eurofighters is to be Malbork, where regular patrols under the auspices of the Eastern Sentry mission are planned from December 2025 to March 2026. The aim is to solidly strengthen air protection in the Baltic Sea area and NATO's eastern flank line, especially in the context of airspace violation incidents[9].

Photo: @KosiniakKamysz/X.com

Why is this move so significant? The deployment of German fighter jets and air defence systems over Poland is not only symbolic - it is a concrete, measurable change in the security architecture of the entire region. The Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the most advanced combat aircraft in Europe, provides a high level of combat readiness and the ability to respond immediately to potential threats. This means the ability to quickly intercept intruders, identify suspicious aerial objects and conduct patrol missions continuously, without the need to burden only the Polish Air Force. In practice, this increases the broadly understood resilience of the Polish air defence system. The presence of allied aircraft means an additional layer of security, but also real operational support - both in terms of the number of available units and their technological advancement. This is particularly important in the context of the growing intensity of military activity in the Baltic Sea region and the proximity of the armed conflict in Ukraine[10]. However, the significance of this decision goes far beyond the military aspect itself. It is also a clear political signal sent to potential aggressors. It shows that NATO's eastern flank is not left alone, and that the Alliance countries are ready to take real, not just declarative, actions to support their partners. In this sense, every patrol of German fighters over Poland is a visible confirmation of the functioning of the principle of collective defence[11]. It is also worth noting that the protection of Polish airspace by the German Armed Forces is part of NATO's broader concept of integrated air and missile defence. The combination of fighter capabilities with ground-based systems such as Patriot batteries creates a multi-layered protective umbrella over key infrastructure and logistics hubs. This is particularly important for the safety of transport routes and support for allied activities in the region[12]. The parties announced that they would work on a new defence cooperation agreement. In practice, this means that Germany's involvement in Polish air defence may be permanent and long-term. It is also worth observing what cooperation within allied structures will look like – whether there will be other elements in addition to fighter patrols: communications, logistics, training or joint operations[13].

[1] https://defence24.pl/polityka-obronna/niemieckie-mysliwce-beda-chronic-polskie-niebo - Niemieckie myśliwce będą chronić polskie niebo, Defence24

[2] https://defence24.pl/sily-zbrojne/niemieckie-lotnictwo-bedzie-chronic-przestrzen-powietrzna-slowacji - Niemieckie lotnictwo będzie chronić przestrzeń powietrzną Słowacji, Defence24

[3] https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2025/germany-stations-eurofighter-jets-in-poland-to-bolster-nato-air-patrols-this-winter - Germany Stations Eurofighter Jets in Poland to Bolster NATO Air Patrols This Winter., Army Recogintion Group

[4] https://tech.wp.pl/niemieckie-mysliwce-w-polsce-wojsko-komentuje%2C7186675013384960a - Niemieckie myśliwce w Polsce. Wojsko komentuje, WP tech

[5] https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2025/germany-stations-eurofighter-jets-in-poland-to-bolster-nato-air-patrols-this-winter - Germany Stations Eurofighter Jets in Poland to Bolster NATO Air Patrols This Winter., Army Recogintion Group

[6] https://defensehere.com/germany-deploys-eurofighter-typhoon-jets-to-poland - Germany deploys Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Poland, defensehere

[7] https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7784/Artykul/3568306%2Cpolish-and-german-air-force-inspectors-met-in-minsk-mazowiecki - Polish and German Air Force inspectors met in Mińsk Mazowiecki, Polskie Radio

[8] https://defensehere.com/germany-deploys-eurofighter-typhoon-jets-to-poland - Germany deploys Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Poland, defensehere

[9] https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2025/germany-stations-eurofighter-jets-in-poland-to-bolster-nato-air-patrols-this-winter - Germany Stations Eurofighter Jets in Poland to Bolster NATO Air Patrols This Winter., Army Recogintion Group

[10] https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2025/germany-stations-eurofighter-jets-in-poland-to-bolster-nato-air-patrols-this-winter - Germany Stations Eurofighter Jets in Poland to Bolster NATO Air Patrols This Winter., Army Recogintion Group

[11] https://milmag.pl/en/german-patriots-have-arrived-in-poland/ - German Patriots have arrived in Poland, MILMAG

[12] https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/niemiecka-prasa-o-rozmieszczeniu-dodatkowych-mysliwcow-w-polsce-wyrazny-sygnal-dla - Niemcy wyślą myśliwce do Polski. Media: wyraźny sygnał dla Moskwy, PAP

[13] https://defence24.pl/polityka-obronna/niemieckie-mysliwce-beda-chronic-polskie-niebo - Niemieckie myśliwce będą chronić polskie niebo, Defence24

Photo: Julian Herzog, 02.06.2016, wikimediacommons

This article was prepared as part of the public task commissioned under the Government Programme for the Development of Civic Organizations 2018–2030: “Safe Poland of Tomorrow – strengthening the mission-driven activities of the Alioth Foundation.”