NATO holds unprecedented air drills near Kaliningrad in Poland, US F-35s participate

Published Aug 20, 05:30 PM UTC

On 18 August 2026, NATO conducted unprecedented air exercises in Polish airspace near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, with significant US participation. According to Artur Kacprzyk of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), the maneuvers served both operational and deterrence purposes. They demonstrated NATO's ability to mass substantial air forces near Russia, including US F-35 fighters, electronic warfare aircraft, and aerial refueling assets. The choice of Kaliningrad as a target sent a clear signal to the Kremlin about the vulnerability of that territory in a conflict. The exercises also underscored US commitment to NATO's eastern flank amid recent reductions in US troop presence in Europe and transatlantic tensions. The US role fits the NATO 3.0 concept, where Europeans provide initial combat forces while the US supplies critical support like reconnaissance and command aircraft, with the ability to escalate if needed.