US F-35s Head to NATOs Eastern Flank

Video Above: Could F-35s Deter Russia from Invading Ukraine?

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

US F-35s are heading to NATOs’ “Eastern Flank” after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the movement of up to eight of the 5th-generation stealth jets Eastward from Germany.

A Pentagon report says Austin has also approved sending 800 infantry soldiers from Italy to the Baltics and sent as many as 20 Apache helicopters to the Baltics as well. As part of these overall force maneuvers, the Pentagon is sending 12 Apache helicopters from Greece to Poland. 

All of this comes on top of recent maneuvers which have included sending thousands of troops to Poland, Stryker companies to Hungary and Bulgaria and putting 8,500 US NATO supporting rapid reaction forces on alert.

F-35s in Eastern Europe

The exact location of the F-35s is not known, likely for obvious security reasons, yet moving F-35s farther East makes enormous strategic sense for a number of reasons. Of course the aircraft can function as a deterrent against any Russian movement farther Westward from Ukraine, yet placing F-35s in Eastern Europe will likely put them within a single mission strike range combat radius for the jets. 

This means F-35s launched from Eastern Europe would likely be positioned to reach Ukraine or even parts of Russia, and loiter a bit over targets, without needing to refuel in the air. This places 5th-generation stealth technology directly upon Russia’s doorstep well within range of attacking Russian ground troops or even destroying air defenses over Russian territory. This also puts US F-35s in position to intercept, track or even destroy Russian aircraft and fighter jets should they move into NATO areas or dangerously provoke US allies.