First confirmed destruction of a Russian drone by an F-35 occurred during a NATO mission over Poland
An F-35A Lightning II of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, tail number F-027, belonging to the 313th Squadron, recorded the first confirmed destruction of a Russian drone.
The image of the aircraft displaying the traditional “kill mark” — a painted symbol on the fuselage representing the destruction of an enemy target — was released by the Dutch Ministry of Defence. The detail gained attention after being shared by a user on the X platform, identified as Jeff21461.
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Incident during mission over Poland
According to the information released, the episode occurred during a patrol sortie over Polish territory, when Russian drones posed a threat to the airspace. The Dutch fighter intercepted and destroyed the drone, ensuring the security of the area.
Unprecedented milestone for the F-35
This is the first confirmed combat record of an F-35 shooting down a Russian drone. The achievement highlights the growing role of the 5th-generation fighter in real-world defense operations within the context of the war in Ukraine and rising tensions in Eastern Europe.
NATO missions on the eastern flank
The 313th Squadron, based at Volkel Air Base in the south of the Netherlands, is one of the units involved in NATO missions to reinforce air security on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Its F-35As regularly patrol the skies of Poland and the Baltic states, serving as a deterrent against aerial threats.
Source and images: Militarnyi | Defensie.nl. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
