The United Kingdom remains fully committed to the defence of NATO territory, with plans in place to counter drone incursions and protect allied airspace, according to Defence Minister Al Carns.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Suella Braverman, the Armed Forces Minister reaffirmed that the UK’s pledge to “defend every inch of NATO territory” includes ongoing air policing missions over Poland and Romania. The assurance comes after a series of incidents involving mass drone incursions across Ukraine and Poland, which have raised concerns about the vulnerability of NATO’s eastern flank to emerging threats.
Carns stated that the UK contribution of Typhoon fighter jets to NATO’s Eastern Sentry mission in Poland will be extended until the end of 2025. The operation, which includes multiple NATO members, is aimed at deterring airspace violations and demonstrating alliance solidarity. “NATO is more united than ever as we continue to work closely to support Ukraine and defend the alliance’s territory,” Carns said.
Over the past 18 months, Royal Air Force Typhoons have routinely deployed to both Poland and Romania to intercept and deter potential incursions.
These deployments have included live intercepts of unidentified aircraft operating close to NATO borders, underscoring the alliance’s commitment to collective defence under Article 5. The presence of British aircraft is also intended to provide reassurance to Eastern European allies who face the brunt of spillover risks from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At home, the RAF maintains a continuous state of readiness to respond to aerial threats. Fighter jets based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland remain on high alert around the clock, launching at short notice to intercept unidentified aircraft approaching or entering the UK’s area of interest.
“The RAF’s readiness to protect both British and NATO airspace remains constant,” he said, stressing that the UK’s commitment to collective defence is “absolute and enduring.”
Defend EVERY inch??
Geoff, are you querying that Al Carns is not ‘modern’ by using Imperial measurements?
Or are you concerned that British forces are required to defend all NATO territory? That is a requirement of being a responsible NATO member.
Hi Graham. Nothing wrong with Imperial measurements-I am an old-fashioned imperialist myself although I confuse the younger counter staff when I order 3 metres of 3 x2 inches pine 🙂 I was also just having a go at the Minister with his “Fight them on the Beaches” bravado. The reality is that the UK is in no way equipped to defend every square inch of NATO with its much depleted Armed Forces.
Regards from Durban
I wish President Trump could affirm that the US pledged to “defend every inch of NATO territory”. Then the US might once again be considered to be a reliable ally.
Hear hear!
I have never heard of Al Carns and if that is all he has to say I hope never to hear of or from him again
He speaks a lot in the Commons, particularly on veterans and reserves, which is his bag. He makes a lot of sense and seems to be widely respected on all sides of the House. He was a Royal Marine field officer, Major or Lt Col IIRC, and was a Colonel in the RMR…
“defend evet inch” What with.
…or even “every”
and of course the current government has been proved to be so reliable with their current promises.
Sort benefits
stop illegal immigrants
not raises taxes
cut energy bills
Hhhmmmm so reliable so we can tax this as gospel truth on same lines
Conversely, and more relevant for a defence publication, they have allocated an additional £14bn to defence, the biggest increase for a couple of decades, and committed to a 3% of GDP defence spend by 2030. Compare and contrast with the previous 14 years of repeated cuts in numbers and core capabilities.