US rotates fighter jets in Middle East without cutting combat aircraft presence

The United States is rotating its air units in the Middle East while maintaining the overall number of combat aircraft deployed in the region, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance (MATA) data.

On September 25, 10 F-15E fighter jets withdrawn from the Middle East arrived at the British air base at Mildenhall. Meanwhile, 12 US F-16s are heading to Aviano Air Base in Italy after crossing the Atlantic with a stopover in the Azores. The flight is being supported by aerial refuelling aircraft, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The US also deployed a new squadron of F-16s to the region from Germany this week. In August and September, F-35 and F-16 squadrons that had been stationed in the Middle East for more than six months were also rotated out.

US aircraft are currently based in Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

According to the report, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility currently includes more than 200 fighter aircraft, including F-35s, F-15Es, F-16s, F/A-18s and EA-18Gs, as well as 30 A-10 attack aircraft.

In addition, more than 110 carrier-based fighter aircraft are deployed aboard two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship in the Arabian Sea.

By Sabina Mammadli