U.S. Air Force F-22s deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, in 2022.
The U.S. Air Force has quickly deployed an undisclosed number of F-22s to the Middle East amid ongoing threatening behavior by Russia aircraft over Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM ) announced June 14.
The Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, have been deployed to an undisclosed base in the region. CENTCOM says the deployment is a show of U.S. capability amid increasingly “unprofessional behavior” by Russian aircraft.
“Russian Forces’ unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force,” CENTCOM boss Gen. Erik Kurilla said in a statement. “Their regular violation of agreed-upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation. Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region.”
The deployment is the first time Raptors have been in the region since a February 2020 deployment to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Raptors were deployed twice to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in recent years—once in 2020 and in 2019 for the first time.
Air Forces Central Command boss Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich has said Russian aircraft have repeatedly been threating U.S. aircraft and positions on the ground. In March, he said the U.S. has seen the activity occur on a weekly to daily basis. Typically, it is a formation of air-to-ground and air-to-air fighters operating together. For example, Su-24s or Su-34s typically paired with Su-35s.
The aircraft “are not just passing through. They fly into airspace that is normally under the deconfliction protocols that are supposed to be where we are primarily operating,” he says.
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