Over the last month, U.S. officials have announced the deployment of additional personnel, airframes and even a destroyer to the Middle East.
While Iran is ramping up attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Russia is provoking American assets in Syria’s airspace.
In an attempt to deter these hostile acts, F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, an amphibious assault ship and thousands of Marines will join the U.S. Central Command’s (CENTOM) area of operations.
The Commander of CENTOM Gen. Michael Kurilla said the additional forces would add “unique capabilities” to help “Safeguard the free flow of international commerce and uphold the rules based international order.”
What airframes are being sent to the region?
The U.S. is already using F-16s and A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” attack airframes in the Persian Gulf, however, considering the recent upticks in Iranian attacks in the waters, additional airframes are necessary to protect U.S. vessels. The A-10s were initially sent to help thwart barrages launched by Iranian-linked militias targeting U.S. assets in the region.
These fighter airframes may now serve a dual purpose. Iranian corvettes attempted to seize two commercial oil tankers in the Strait earlier this month, prompting swift action.
Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed that the U.S. military presence will help secure “those vital waterways.” Roughly twenty percent of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait each year, making it a strategic waterway important to protect from malign activity. In response to Moscow’s reckless activity, likely influenced by America’s continued aid to Ukraine amidst the invasion, the Pentagon has sent F-22 fighters to the region.
These formidable fifth-generation jets should help quell Moscow’s unsafe and unprofessional provocations, at least that is what U.S. officials are hoping.
Tehran and Moscow are provoking U.S. assets in the Middle East
In addition to Tehran’s unruly behavior in the Persian Gulf, Russia is provoking U.S. assets in Syria’s airspace. In fact, Gen. Kurilla observed a “significant spike” in aggressive Russian flights over the country in recent months.
In March, two Russian S-27 fighter aircraft downed an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Black Sea. According to the U.S. European Command, the Russian fighters dumped fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper drone, forcing U.S. forces to bring it down in international waters. Russia has continued to violate deconfliction protocols in the region, engaging in “buffoonery in the air,” as noted by the combined forces air component commander for CENTCOM Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.
In the early 2000’s, scores of American soldiers and U.S. military equipment were stationed in the Middle East during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After the Pentagon shifted its strategic focus away from the Middle East and towards China and Russia, the number of U.S. troops and assets in the region has dwindled. American officials now believe Moscow is trying to pressure the U.S. into pulling back from the region.
The arrival of the F-35 Lightning II fighters, largely believed to be the most sophisticated platform across the globe, should help fill a vacuum in America’s high-end capabilities, as detailed in the Wall Street Journal.
Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
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