US Air Force to Send F-22 Fighter Jets to Europe in Response to Russia | Military.com: The U.S. will deploy F-22 Raptors – its most advanced fighter jets -- to Europe as part of the NATO buildup to deter Russian aggression in the region, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Monday.
"We will very soon deploy F-22s to Europe as part of the European Reassurance Initiative" to bring a persistent air, land, and sea presence to the region, James said.
The U.S. has already increased training exercises and rotational deployments in Europe but "an F-22 deployment is certainly on the strong side of the coin" with the "air-to-air capability" it brings in sending a message to Moscow, she said.
For security reasons, James said the timing of the deployment, and where the F-22s will be based, were not being disclosed, but having the F-22s on station will "demonstrate our commitment to the security and stability of Europe."
