USAF F-35As deploy to Europe for the first time
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F-22Raptor
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Trump's not messing around...
AZADPAKISTAN2009
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Seems like multiple front strategy to keep Russia Guessing
Penguin
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F35A was already in Europe e.g. at Dutch air force annual day last year. Dutch are level II partner for F-35. Two are in service thusfar, with more to follow. Likewise Italy.
On 2 August 2016, the U.S. Air Force declared the F-35A basic combat ready F-35A is scheduled to be full combat ready in 2017 with its 3F software upgrade. Air Combat Command will initially deploy F-35A to Red Flag exercises and as a "theater security package" to Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II#F-35A
I.e. not in response to anything, but planned deployment it would seem.
On 2 August 2016, the U.S. Air Force declared the F-35A basic combat ready F-35A is scheduled to be full combat ready in 2017 with its 3F software upgrade. Air Combat Command will initially deploy F-35A to Red Flag exercises and as a "theater security package" to Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II#F-35A
I.e. not in response to anything, but planned deployment it would seem.
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Fledgingwings
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Where exactly in europe?
Penguin
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Since an F-16 replacement, I would think Germany (Spangdahlem Air Base, in the Rhineland near Trier) and Italy (Aviano Air Base, North-Eastern Italy) rather than RAF bases like Lakenheath.
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