US deploys fighter jets to Middle East

AFP | Washington

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The US military has deployed F-22 Raptors from Langley Air Force Base to the Middle East due to increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behaviour by Russian aircraft in the region, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said yesterday.

“The Raptors, from Langley Air Force Base, Va.’s 94th Fighter Squadron, are demonstrating the US’ ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment’s notice,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

While in the region, the recently added jets will integrate with other Coalition forces on the ground and in the air. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla criticised Russia’s unsafe and unprofessional behaviour.

“Their regular violation of agreed-upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation,” he said. This move comes on the heels of US military officials saying that Russia’s military forces in Syria had stopped adhering to agreed-upon deconfliction protocols with American and Coalition troops. US officials have said there are under 1,000 American troops in Syria as part of the Defeat ISIS campaign.

Troops have routinely come under attack by Iran-backed groups. Earlier this year, a top US military general said the US saw “unsafe and unprofessional air activity” from the Russians in Syria. And in March, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the US general responsible for air operations in the Middle East, said Russian jets violated the airspace over a US military base around 25 times.