Norway is to deploy some of its F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) to Poland later this year, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on the X media channel on 30 June 2025.
The aircraft will be deployed to Rzeszów Airport, which is just over 70 km from Poland’s border with Ukraine, “this autumn”, stated the Norwegian MoD, adding that the mission “supports the protection of Polish airspace and a key logistical hub for aid to Ukraine”.
“This is a vital contribution,” said Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O Sandvik. “We are helping ensure that support to Ukraine reaches its destination, and that Ukraine can continue its fight for freedom.”
The Norwegian MoD added that the operation “has been thoroughly assessed to ensure national readiness and security are maintained”.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) operates a fleet of 52 F-35As, with the aircraft’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, announcing on 1 April 2025 that Norway had become the first partner nation in the JSF programme to complete its programme of record.
The RNoAF’s F-35A fleet is mainly based at Ørland Main Air Station in central Norway, although Evenes Air Station in northwest Norway is also used as a forward F-35 base for quick-reaction alert duties and in June 2024 the underground hangars at Bardufoss Air Station, further north, were reactivated for use by F-35s.
The Norwegian MoD did not indicate how many F-35s would be sent to Poland, nor how long the deployment would be stood up.
While Poland has 32 F-35As on order, the first six of these are being used for pilot training in the United States, while F-35 deliveries to Poland are not expected to begin before 2026.
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