These are the jets NATO scrambled to intercept Russian drones in Poland
September 12, 2025
On 9 September, Russia launched a massive wave of strikes on Ukraine with at least 19 and as many as 23 one-way-attack drones, including decoys, entering Polish airspace. The attack came less than a week after Putin returned from China, where he visited the military parade and met Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Russian drones violated Polish and NATO airspace
During the attack, at least eight of the Russian-built, cheaper counterparts to the Iranian Shahed-136 drone were shot down by the Polish Air Force. Aircraft belonging to the NATO Quick Reaction Alert were scrambled and shot down drones.
❗️Breaking: More than 20, most likely 23, Russian drones were detected in a nighttime violation of Polish airspace, — Polish media Rzeczpospolita reported, referring to the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/piwOkFrwqt
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 10, 2025
Poland and Lithuania have reacted by closing border airspace to non-military aircraft and have triggered NATO’s Article 4. Article 4 calls for a meeting of NATO members to discuss the violation; it should not be confused with the much more potent mutual defence clause of Article 5.
Additionally, Poland has stated that the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the violation of its airspace. The Polish president claims Russia is attempting to test Warsaw’s and NATO’s responses to provocations.
It appears the drones were heading to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and were taking a circuitous route through Polish airspace to avoid Ukrainian air defence. The incident was part of a larger strike that included 415 drones, one ballistic missile, and 42 cruise missiles on Ukraine.
These are the aircraft scrambled to intercept drones
According to reports, Poland used its F-16 Fighting Falcons to intercept the drones. The War Zone reported Poland also responded with Mi-24, Mi-17, and S-70 helicopters and one Polish Saab 340 Erieye AWACS aircraft.
Dutch F-35s have intercepted Russian drones over Poland.
— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) September 10, 2025
Within the NATO framework, our F-35s make a significant contribution to the defence of our collective security. This is precisely what we stand ready to do.
This is how we keep the escalating Russian threat at a distance. pic.twitter.com/fxZDbAXuTG
Notably, the spokesman for NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Col. Martin O’Donnell, said the incident marked the “first time NATO aeroplanes have engaged potential threats in Allied airspace.”
According to the Netherlands’ Defence Minister, Dutch F-35 fighter jets participated in the mission to intercept the drones. According to Dutch News, four Dutch F-35s are stationed in Poland.
The open source intelligence account, OSINTtechnical, reported that an Italian Air Force airborne early warning aircraft had also scrambled from Estonia and flown south to Poland, where it turned off its transponder during the incident. One A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) also took part.
It is unclear exactly which other NATO aircraft participated in responding to the incursion.
Polish Air Force: an air force in transition
In 2025, Poland announced it would upgrade all 48 of its F-16s to the F-16V Block 72 standard. Poland’s other combat aircraft include a limited number of Soviet-era MiG-29s and some South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle light fighter/advanced trainers.
Around half of Poland’s legacy MiG-29s have been donated to Ukraine. Poland purchased FA-50 light fighters in 2022 as a quick stopgap measure to replace its ageing MiG-29s and Su-22s after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Poland has a program to purchase 32 advanced F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, with the first example having rolled out on 28 August 2024. However, the first units are not expected to arrive in Poland until 2026, and the type is not expected to enter active service before 2028.
The Polish Air Force is an air force in transition, and it will be a while before it is fully able to defend Polish skies from Russian attacks.
