Media event – Sweden joins NATO’s enhanced Air Policing in Poland

As the Swedish Air Force joins NATO’s enhanced Air Policing Mission in Poland, media are invited to participate at the ceremony at Malbork Air base on April 1st.

A Swedish Fighter Squadron including support personnel have landed and are preparing to participate in NATO’s enhanced Air Surveillance and Quick Readiness Alert (QRA) activities in Poland.

The historic mission will be highlighted in a ceremony with Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force, and Pål Jonson, the Swedish Minister for Defence, together with our Polish and British Allies.

- By contributing to NATO’s deterrence and defence the Swedish Air Force enhances Sweden’s and NATO’s security. The Swedish Air Force is increasing its interoperability to become fully integrated into NATO’s Air Defence, says Major General Jonas Wikman.

The Swedish Air Force will participate with one squadron from Norrbotten Wing’s (F 21) with six to eight fighter jets and approximately 110 ground personnel in total. The Fighter Squadron will operate in the Northern Air policing area from April to June and will be under the Command of the Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem in Germany.

The Swedish Fighter Squadron is deployed together with II Army Cooperation Squadron from the Royal Air Force, deploying RAF Typhoons.

- We are looking forward to working with our Swedish partners on a NATO operation together for the first time and are proud to play our part in safeguarding NATO airspace and standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies, says Wing Commander Mark Coram, Officer Commanding II (AC) Sqn.

Enhanced Air Policing is part of NATO’s Assurance Measures introduced in 2014, after Russia’s illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula. Swedish forces under NATO command follow directives and Rules of Engagement depicted by Supreme Allied Commander Europe, which are approved by the North Atlantic Council.

Participation and accreditation for Swedish media:

Guardhouse Malbork Air base 07:30, ceremony and media event to approx. 13.00

Please e-mail the following information if you wish to participate in the media event: company name, full name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality and passport number to therese.akerstedt@mil.se.

Deadline: Friday March 28th 12:00.

Media contact Swedish Air Force

Therese Åkerstedt, Head of Communication, mobile +4672-367 75 08 or therese.akerstedt@mil.se.