Six Minutes to Decide: Poland’s Missile Alarm Reveals NATO’s Fast Detection, Slow Fire-Resolution
A Russian Kh-101 missile crossed into Polish airspace near Tarnawa-Kolonia and was detected quickly, prompting an F-16 scramble. Poland prepared to shoot it down if it continued, but full certainty about the missile’s identity and origin was still sought. The episode underscores how NATO can identify threats fast yet face a narrow six‑minute window to decide on a defensive strike, highlighting issues of attribution versus accountability and the need for faster identification, better deconfliction with Ukraine, and layered defense before resorting to interceptors.