Six US Air Force fighter jets have arrived at Suffolk's RAF Lakenheath base in preparation for supporting NATO's European Air Shielding mission.

The F-22 Raptors are from the 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd wing, and are en route to Łask, Poland, from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Following their departure from Lakenheath, the aircraft will join NATO's Air Shielding strategy, which seeks to provide a near-seamless shield from the Baltic to the Black seas.

A further six jets are expected to arrive this evening.

New additions to the Alliance's eastern borders have been enhanced in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It is hoped this will ensure Alliance allies are better able to safeguard and protect territory from air and missile threat.

The Raptor is a critical component of the USAF's Global Strike Task Force and is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances to counter any potential threats.

This has made the fighter a highly strategic platform to support NATO Air Shielding.

The jets were supposed to depart Lakenheath Thursday morning.

However, a storm in Alaska has led to the grounding of supporting fuel tankers, meaning jets are now not expected to leave for a further two weeks.