US Air Force permanently deploys F-35 stealth fighter jets in Europe to counter Russia

The US Airforce (USAF) has planned to permanently deploy the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets in Europe to counter Russia’s military assertiveness. In the new development, the first fighter military aircraft to be permanently based in Europe have arrived in the UK, with a party of four F-35As touching down at their new home base at RAF Lakenheath in southeastern England on Wednesday, as per Sputnik. This comes as USAF is planning to permanently station two squadrons that will consist of 48 fighter jets at the Suffolk base, alongside existing Boeing F-15 fighters.  

The facility has recently undergone upgrades and now boasts an additional flight simulator facility, a new maintenance unit, new hangars, and storage facilities. In 2015, the UK’s Ministry of Defence had allocated close to £160 million ($218 million) for these up-gradations at the base. 

“The Valkyries [495th Fighter Squadron’s nickname] are leading our F-35 integration across Europe. We’ve come a long way, and now we’re extending our reach as a coalition force and what we will accomplish together,” Gen. Jeff Harrigian, commander of Allied Air Command, reportedly stressed, speaking to the United States reporters about the deployment. 

Credit: US Air Force

A 'truly important step'

Commander of US Air Forces in Europe General Jeffrey Harrigian had earlier said at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbour, Maryland that the United States Air Force was planning to leverage its capability, “particularly with many of our partners that already have the F-35 in the theatre.” “I really think it’ll be a truly important step as we continue to demonstrate the importance that the F-35 has baked into it from an interoperability perspective,” he had said. The US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa (USAFE, AFAfrica) would not rule out the prospect of Air Force basing in Europe to assist the allies and partners,  Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian had asserted, acknowledging that change in US force’s posture, at the time was under review by the US Department of Defense.   

“We have had discussions on, what do we think is the right number of locations in terms of basing and really, what kind of capabilities do we need” to deter Russia in Europe, Harrigian said at the broadcast conference held on Sep. 21. “There’s going to be some things that will get talked about, and we’ll have to see how that plays out.”

The USAFE reportedly went through a dramatic realignment in Europe during the former Trump administration when the government announced stationing at least 12,000 personnel and an air wing out of Germany. During the reshuffle, the Trump administration flew 480th Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany including  F-16CJ/DJ Vipers and hundreds of personnel to a new strategic location in Aviano, Italy. Now, as threats of the Russian invasion of Ukraine looms, the US Air Force will fly out four jets across to Europe, which are expected to be complemented by 20 more in the coming weeks.