Back in March this year, one member of our team had the amazing possibility to visit Malbork Air Force Base (22 Baza Lotnictwa), home to the 41st Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego, an unit of the Polish Air Force responsible for a variety of tactical and operational duties. Situated near the city of Malbork, south-east of Gdańsk, the base plays a critical role in the defense of Polish airspace and NATO’s eastern flank, and the Baltic Sea. It serves an important strategic position, due to its close proximity to the Kaliningrad Oblast’, a Russian Territory in the middle of Europe.

The 41st Tactical Squadron operates a fleet of MiG-29 Fulcrum (A and G variants), which are used for air defense, interception, and tactical combat missions. The unit is also involved in supporting NATO operations, including quick reaction alerts (QRA), where pilots are on standby to respond rapidly to potential airspace threats. In addition to its role in air defense, the squadron is involved in regular training exercises, ensuring readiness for a wide range of scenarios, from territorial defense to international peacekeeping missions.

The visit to Malbork Air Force Base in March provided an incredible opportunity to observe the operations of the 41st Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego, which has a reputation for its high level of professionalism and tactical proficiency. The squadron’s duties not only include intercepting unknown or hostile aircraft but also contributing to NATO’s collective defense efforts. Through exercises and operational readiness, the 41st Tactical Squadron ensures that it remains a key player in Poland’s air defense strategy and NATO’s broader security framework.

We visited Malbork in the middle of the “TFA 4th Wing” deployement of the Italian Air Force. Several Italian Eurofighters from the 51st (Istrana), 36th (Gioia del Colle), 4th (Grosseto) and 37th (Trapani) Wing, were currently based in Malbork for NATO Enhanced Air Policing Duties. During our visit, three Typhoons scrambled out of Malbork spoiling us with a wonderful departure, for a QRA flight. We later discovered it was due to a Russian Sukhoi Su-35 being intercepted over the Baltic Sea. 

During our visit we also had the opportunity to catch various Polish MiGs, in wonderful lighting conditions, which are now becoming a rarity as the air force will officially retire the type in 2026. Adding to that, one MiG-29UB also joined the single seaters, which was certainly the star of the day. Before landing, it performed a nice low pass over RWY25, giving us a wonderful photo opportunity.

As always, attached below is the full gallery of our visit.

Dziękuję and see you in the next article!