F-35 jets deployed to NATO's front line provide valuable insights.

F-35 fighter jets were deployed to NATO's eastern edge during Russia's invasion of Ukraine to search for surface-to-air missile systems and aircraft. The jets tracked missile systems in Ukraine and Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordering NATO ally Poland. The F-35s absorbed data from potentially adversarial surface-to-air missiles and tracked them to help NATO forces better understand the threat landscape. The mission allowed the Air Force to assess how it approaches short-notice deployments and highlighted how the fighter jets can adjust quickly to unfamiliar threats.