The United States deployed F-22 fighter jets to the Middle East this week as part of a “multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability” amid “increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior” by Russian aircraft in the region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a June 14 press release that the F-22 Raptors are from the 94th Fighter Squadron out of Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
They will be demonstrating America’s ability to “re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment’s notice,” officials said.
The F-22, an all-weather tactical stealth fighter aircraft, is aerodynamic and extremely maneuverable, performing both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
CENTCOM said the aircraft is the “best fifth-generation fighter in the world.”
While in the Middle East, the 94th Fighter Squadron will “integrate” into coalition forces’ operations both on the ground and in the air in the area, which also covers parts of South and Central Asia, officials said.
The deployment of the F-22s marks a “clear demonstration of the commitment shared by partners, allies, and the U.S. to long-term peace and stability in the region,” officials said.
‘Unprofessional Behavior’
“Russian Forces’ unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed-upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. “Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region.”
The announcement comes amid increasing tensions between Washington and Moscow following the latter’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine. It also follows a string of “unprofessional behavior” from Russian aircraft in the Middle East in recent months, according to officials.
Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, combined forces air component commander for CENTCOM, told NBC News in March that armed Russian jets flew over a U.S. military output in Syria nearly every day that month, in violation of an agreement between the United States and Russia.
Moscow’s actions risk increasing escalation, Grynkewich said.
Elsewhere in April, Russian pilots attempted to “dogfight” American jets over Syria, officials said. Video footage of that incident released by CENTCOM showed a Russian SU-35 fighter jet conducting an “unsafe and unprofessional” intercept of a US F-16 fighter jet.
Later that same month, Air Forces Central officials said that coalition and partner forces had been attacked by militia groups on the ground, noting that armed Russian fighter aircraft flew over their positions 26 times from March 1 to April 19.
Russian Pilots Awarded
“These flights are not in line with 2019 protocols established between the Coalition and Russia to avoid miscalculations and potentially dangerous encounters in airspace over Syria,” officials said.
A month later in May, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it had detected, tracked, and intercepted six Russian aircraft operating in airspace near Alaska.
The Russian aircraft included Tu-95 bombers, Il-78 tankers, and Su-35 fighters, although NORAD stated at the time that such Russian activity in the North American air defense identification zone occurs “regularly” and is “not seen as a threat.”
A string of other incidents have taken place, including in March when Russian Su-27 aircraft “struck the propeller” of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea after initially dumping fuel on it, prompting U.S. forces to bring the unmanned drone down in international waters.
The Russian pilots were reportedly given awards from Moscow for their actions.
Speaking at the Defense One Tech Summit in May, Grynkewich said, “If you’re going to give medals to Russian fighter pilots for pouring gas on a UAV and then knocking it out of the sky by crashing into it while they’re operating over the Black Sea, then the Russian pilots that serve in other parts of the world such as Syria see that and that’s going to incentivize them.”
“Now we see similar aggressive behavior, not quite to that degree yet, but we see very aggressive behavior out of their pilots,” Grynkewich added.
Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.
Why One Survival Food Company Shines Above the Rest
Let’s be real. “Prepper Food” or “Survival Food” is generally awful. The vast majority of companies that push their cans, bags, or buckets desperately hope that their customers never try them and stick them in the closet or pantry instead. Why? Because if the first time they try them is after the crap hits the fan, they’ll be too shaken to call and complain about the quality.
It’s true. Most long-term storage food is made with the cheapest possible ingredients with limited taste and even less nutritional value. This is why they tout calories so much. Sure, they provide calories but does anyone really want to go into the apocalypse with food their family can’t stand?
This is what prompted the Llewellyns to launch Heaven’s Harvest. They bought survival food from multiple companies and determined they couldn’t imagine being stuck in an extended emergency with such low-quality food. They quickly discovered that freeze drying food for long-term storage doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor, consistency, or nutrition.
Their ingredients are all-American. In fact, they’re locally sourced and all-natural! This allows their products to be the highest quality on the market, so good that their customers often break open a bag in a pinch to eat because they want to, not just because they have to due to an emergency.
At Heaven’s Harvest, their only focus is amazing food. They don’t sell bugout bags, solar chargers, or multitools. They have one mission – feeding Americans in times of crisis.
What they DO offer is the ability for people to thrive in times of greatest need. On top of long-term storage food, they offer seeds to help Americans for the truly long-term. They want them to grow their own food if possible which is why they offer only Heirloom, Non-GMO, Non-Hybrid, Open-Pollinated seeds so their customers can build permanent food security on their own property.