It was Dutch F-35s that shot down the Russian drones over Poland.

The dirt cheap drones, those of them that diverted by error or malfunction from their intended targets, that is, inside margin of error.

Using F-35s to shoot down that in an actual war with waves of those drones seems inefficient. Paying more than the attack costs. Raising a jet costs fuel and maintenance. It’s purely a very expensive peacetime solution near a conflict. Those drones should have been intercepted by ground AD batteries. Which in case of being a war participant and not a neighbor you will need.

Yeah, they do need a stealth jet. Stealth is what lets you fire your missiles before the enemy even knows you’re there.

As a strategic weapon yes.

OK, as part of common European defense yes, it’s just that it’s still not unified enough it seems. Perhaps a common European military with mandatory training and reserve enlistment for citizens, standardized equipment and procedures (OK, that already exists), united command and proscription and budget, would be better. Because when it’s decided by separate governments, you end up with F-35s shooting down random drones being used as a proof that the system works.

That would mean, of course, turning the EU into a confederation from a union.