(MENAFN) Germany will deploy Eurofighter combat jets to a Polish military base in Malbork as part of NATO’s efforts to fortify its eastern flank, while also committing €10 billion (approx. $11.62 billion) to boost drone capabilities, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced Wednesday during a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

"We will contribute to the protection of the eastern flank with patrol flights." This will make us "even more active, present, and visible on the alliance's eastern border," Pistorius told journalists.

The deployment is a key component of Operation Eastern Sentry, a NATO air surveillance and defense initiative launched in September after reports of Russian kamikaze drone incursions into Polish airspace.

"When (Russian President Vladimir) Putin tests our borders, whether in Poland, Estonia, or elsewhere, we will respond decisively, quickly, and effectively," Pistorius vowed.

Currently, Germany supports the mission with four Eurofighter jets operating from Rostock-Laage Air Base in northeastern Germany. These aircraft are already authorized to conduct armed security patrols over Polish territory. The new deployment to Malbork will begin in December and is expected to continue through March.

Other NATO members—France, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Denmark—are also contributing forces to Eastern Sentry, aimed at enhancing air defense readiness along NATO’s frontier with Russia.

Poland, a key EU and NATO ally, remains a vital conduit for Western military support to Ukraine. Since April, the German Air Force has been aiding Poland with aerial surveillance.

In parallel with the military deployment, Pistorius confirmed Germany will pour billions into unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, including combat drones, as part of a broader effort to modernize and expand its defense arsenal.

“Putin’s increasingly aggressive behavior of Russian President Vladimir Putin demonstrates that we cannot let up for a moment in strengthening defense readiness,” Pistorius said.

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