Britain's Royal Air Force is set to support a NATO air policing mission in Eastern Europe, officials announced Monday. U.K. Royal Air Force photo by Sgt Neil Bryden

March 27 (UPI) -- Typhoon fighter jets from Britain's Royal Air Force will soon deploy to Romania to conduct an air policing mission in the region.

The NATO operation will be conducted alongside pilots from Romania's air force. The planes will patrol the skies over the Black Sea, a move U.K. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon says underscores his country's growing support for the alliance.


"The U.K. is stepping up its support for NATO's collective defense from the north to the south of the alliance," Fallon said in a press release. "With this deployment, RAF planes will be ready to secure NATO airspace and provide reassurance to our allies in the Black Sea region."

Britain's Royal Air Force 3 Squadron will lead the air policing mission. The U.K. is the first country to supply jets for the operation.

The upcoming deployment marks the U.K.'s latest venture into Eastern Europe, and comes a week after the country announced it would be sending around 120 soldiers to boost NATO's forward presence in Estonia.

Britain's Ministry of Defense said the deployment in Estonia is intended to bolster its forces to counter Russia's military aggression in the region.