The US Air Force Reserve Command announced Wednesday that Washington has sent on Monday F-35 fighter jets along with pilots, maintainers, and support personnel from the active-duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing to Germany to bolster NATO defenses.
The jets and airmen were sent to Spangdahlem Air Base.
The Air Force points out that the F-35A Lightning II, the most advanced fighter jet in the US military fleet, is capable of carrying out a variety of missions to deter aggression and defend Allies and the 388th Fighter Wing is the first active-duty combat unit able to use these jets.
According to the commander of US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, NATO is facing a dynamic environment and this deployment of US fighter jets significantly enhances the US support to NATO Alliance by increasing its defensive posture and also enhances the air integration capabilities of both the US and the alliance.
In addition to the F-35A’s in Spangdahlem Air Base, the US has deployed eight F-15Es from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. to Poland, and six KC-135 Stratotankers from the 100th Aerial Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, UK, went to Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Although temporary in nature, these deployments – conducted in full coordination with NATO military authorities and the host nations – are prudent measures to increase readiness and enhance NATOs collective defense as Russia still has more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty.
Describing Moscow’s claims that it was withdrawing forces as false, a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday that Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops at the border with Ukraine.
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