The U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor fighters are participating in a NATO Air Shielding mission over the Alliance’s eastern flank amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The F-22s assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska currently deployed at the 32nd Tactical Air Base (AB) in Łask, to support Nato’s Air Shielding mission in Poland.
“The U.S. remains dedicated to our security commitments with our NATO Alliance and global partners and this enhanced posture is a clear expression of NATO’s commitment to readiness which promotes regional security and stability,” a USAF news release states.
The NATO Shielding mission is a joint integrated mission to increase the air and missile defense posture along the Eastern flank of the Alliance in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Adding the Air Force’s F-22s, the service’s most advanced fighter aircraft which can reach supersonic speeds and carry a variety of guided missiles and bombs, sends a serious sign to Russia that NATO is keeping a close eye on its borders.