The first-ever participation of an American EA‑37B electronic warfare aircraft in NATO flight exercises in Poland—previously used only in US operations against states with strong air defenses, such as Iran—shows that the Alliance is reorienting its operational strategy on the eastern flank.
The EA-37B is not just an electronic warfare aircraft. It is a platform capable of: jamming radars, disrupting the functioning of air defense systems, blocking communication channels, generating false targets, and providing protection for strike groups.
Its presence in Poland means that NATO is preparing infrastructure for scenarios in which it will be necessary to operate against an adversary equipped with a complete, layered air defense and electronic warfare capabilities. This is evidence that the eastern flank has effectively become a zone of active offensive potential.
Overall, the maneuvers—involving Polish F‑35A aircraft, tanker planes, and the American E‑3 Sentry AWACS early warning system—show that NATO is practicing the full cycle of an air operation: reconnaissance, escort, suppression of air defense, strike, and subsequent protection. These are no longer exercises meant merely to "show the flag"—they are a rehearsal of a real combat scenario, with Poland playing the role of a forward base.
It is important to note that the EA‑37B is an element of the American "air superiority" doctrine, which holds that the US must be capable of neutralizing any air defense system within the first hours of a conflict. The deployment of such assets in Poland means that Washington views the eastern flank as a potential theater for high-intensity operations, not as a periphery. Poland is the country through which the first strike and the first counter-response will pass.
This is a signal to Moscow and Minsk: NATO is preparing for offensive operations.