NATO has again deployed Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to airspace over Poland to monitor the skies over Ukraine.

NATO says the deployment will support the Alliance’s reinforced presence in the region and monitor Russian military activity.  

“Officially, any intelligence gathered is only sent to NATO nations, but everyone knows that some of these nations quickly share the information with Ukraine, enabling them to counter incoming attacks. Western intelligence data offers Ukraine the ability to respond a wee bit quicker,” a former RAF officer wishing to remain anonymous told the UK Defence Journal.

“As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there must be no doubt about NATO’s resolve to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory,” said NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu on a similar deployment last year.

“Our AWACS can detect aircraft hundreds of kilometres away, making them a key capability for NATO’s deterrence and defence posture,” she added.

In response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, NATO has increased its air presence in Eastern Europe with additional fighters, surveillance aircraft, and tankers.

Since February 2022, NATO AWACS have conducted regular patrols over eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region to track Russian warplanes near NATO borders.

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

7 COMMENTS

  1. NATO has again deployed Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to airspace over Poland to monitor the skies over Ukraine.
    All I can say about this is, the AWACS aircraft better stay over NATO airspace, if the AWACS aircraft goes over Ukraine airspace, Russia will shoot it down.

    • Russia doesn’t want to escalate. The war between NATO and Russia is too risky. Otherwise that AWACS is a legitimate target, especially after NATO officials openly say they providing logistics to Ukraine.

    • Perhaps you should write them a letter in case they haven’t considered that danger, indeed most here probably recognise that risk. I would suggest the last two years plus tends to show they have considered it however. My concern is more that a desperate Russia will shoot somethings down over NATO or International territory and try to claim it was over Russian or Ukranian territory.

    • Errr with what?
      Even if it goes over the Polish Border its approx. 400+ miles to the orcs.
      Unless mad vlad has invented a super duper wonderwaffe anti aircraft missile with a 400+mile range they are going to be safe.
      Romania is a little closer but again its still a good 200+ km.
      Of couse they could try to shoot down something over international airspace in the Black Sea. That would have massive FAFO consequences. Probably resulting in a NATO no fly zone and fighter sweeps being the result. After the orcs tried it with a UK aircraft over that area previously, they now go up with a Typhoon escort

      • Oddly the Russian weapons, used against the RIVET didn’t work – I wonder why?

        Could the EW DAS suite have done its job?

  2. Russians seem unstoppable indeed. Few hundreds of billions in weapons so far, thousands of NATO soldiers sent under the name of mercenaries, endlessly provided NATO logistics and Ukraine couldn’t push Russian army for an inch back. I’m pret convicted NATO will embarrass themselves and will be forced to disband if they try to go against Russian army.

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