The United States will withdraw the twelve fighters from the base of Incirlik, sent last month to protect Turkish airspace from Russian incursions, in the coming hours. This is what they communicated a few hours ago from the Pentagon. The latter minimizes the decision, stating that fighters were part of a simple "temporary deployment in Europe".
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis added. "I wouldn't want you to read something that isn't there. Our ability to hit the Islamic State remains unchanged." It should be noted that in the coming hours the US will only withdraw pure fighters such as the F-15C and the F-15E, also equipped for air-to-air combat.
Beyond the ritual sentences, we know that those fighters had not been deployed in Turkey to attack the Islamic State, which has no air force, but to protect Ankara's air sovereignty from Moscow.
They add from the European Command “The base of Incirlik still hosts twelve A-10 and other UAV platforms. The number of Coalition aircraft is expected to increase in the coming months ". Also in this release, no comment on the real mission of the F-15. The Russians are never mentioned.
Politically correct? A move that still leaves one amazed because for the second time in a few months, the US is reviewing its air-to-air strategies. The announcement of the withdrawal of the fighters came on the sidelines of the visit by US Defense Secretary Ash Carter who visited Incirlik and spoke with American troops. All F-15 will return to Britain in the next few hours. However, it is undeniable that this new US move leaves room for different interpretations.
They wrote from the Pentagon last November 5: "We want to be able to protect Turkish airspace. That's what we did with the missiles Patriot and that is what we will continue to do with the F-15. We hope that Russia respects the sovereignty of Turkish airspace. Until they violate it there will be no problems. We are certain that there will be no problems ".
Have the operational needs disappeared after a month, for that move that represented a unicum in the panorama of the foreign missions of the USA? The F-15C, in fact, have never been deployed in Afghanistan, nor in Iraq. The war in Syria seemed different, considering the Russian interceptors deployed in the region and armed with air-to-air missiles. Or maybe there's more. Because if it is true that on the one hand the aerial patrols took place for a month, the American F-15 could not have attacked the enemy. Or better. They could not defend Turkish airspace because the rules of engagement have never been established. So, if this were the case, the move to withdraw F-15 makes sense.
Why let yourself be drawn into a war, when the same requesting country does not outline the operational protocols? Therefore, the withdrawal of pure fighters from the Region could really make sense. Yet once again the Pentagon's statements come to mind: "The task of the F-15 will be to tighten Turkish air defenses against Russian interference". In a month, Russian interference seems to have vanished. Finally, it should be noted that the F-15Cs were sent at a specific time, when it was believed that Russia was about to increase violations of Turkish borders. That deployment took place before the downing of the Russian Su-24 by the Turks and the consequent entry into service of the S-400 / S-300 line.
Russian implementations in Syria have complicated everything. American F-15Cs never had a goal. They could have defended themselves only if they were attacked (but in that case it would have been a real act of war). The United States and Turkey have never established the rules of engagement for American fighters.
In the eyes of a part of the world, however, the US "withdrew" for the second time from the Middle East (the first time when they withdrew the Roosevelt in service in the Persian Gulf for maintenance).
(photo: US Air Force)
