Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35 Scores First Russian Drone Kill During Mission in Poland

The Royal Netherlands Air Force has recorded the first confirmed combat kill of its F-35A fighter jet against a Russian drone. The aircraft involved, tail number F-027, belongs to the 313th Squadron.

The photo was unveiled by the Dutch Ministry of Defense on September 30.

A user on X, posting under the handle Jeff21461, highlighted an official photo showing the aircraft marked with a “kill mark”—a symbol painted on the fuselage to indicate the successful downing of an enemy target.

This marks the first confirmed destruction of a Russian drone by a NATO-operated fifth-generation F-35 fighter.

At the same time, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans stressed that “Russia’s reckless aggression continues.” He underlined that by deploying F-35s to Poland, the Netherlands demonstrates its unwavering readiness to stand with allies, since “NATO’s eastern border is also our security border,” as he told the Dutch F-35 detachment during his visit on September 29.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the Dutch F-35 fighters will remain stationed in Poland from September 1 to December 1 as part of NATO’s collective defense mission. Dutch pilots have already taken part in several combat operations during this deployment, including one instance where weapons were used to shoot down Russian drones.

Earlier, Poland’s military announced it had concluded air operations after eight Russian drones violated the country’s airspace overnight, prompting a coordinated response with NATO allies.

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