The Drive: The US Air Force permanently deployed F-35A Lightning II fighters in England
Air Force (Air Force) For the first time, the United States permanently deployed its fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighters in Europe, writes The Drive.
The first four aircraft arrived at Lakenheath Air Base (England) of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain. A total of 24 F-35A Lightning II units from the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the US Air Force Command in Europe and Africa are expected to be permanently deployed at the facility. In the future, the 493rd Squadron, located there, will receive 24 of the same aircraft. An additional six F-35A Lightning II fighters will be in reserve.
The Drive notes that the appearance of two F-35A Lightning II squadrons in Lakenheath "will provide combat commanders with flexible and high-performance forward-based forces" that should be ready to respond to unforeseen circumstances in the region and signal the US determination to respond to "the resurgent Russian armed forces, which are increasingly testing NATO members and their allies around their western borders."
In September, in the presentation of the American corporation Lockheed Martin, presented at the 27th international exhibition MSPO 2021, it was told that in the current decade, 13 permanent air bases with 450 F-35 Lightning II aircraft are planned to be deployed in Europe. According to the map shown on the corresponding slide, there will be two air bases with such fighters in the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Belgium and Poland, while there will be one in Denmark. Four of the 13 facilities have already been commissioned. The deadlines for the start of full-fledged work of the other eight air bases have been set. The final decision on the 13th object (near the Polish city of Svidvin) has not yet been made.
These plans do not take into account the purchase of aircraft by Switzerland and Finland.
