Combat-ready F-35A fighters arrived at the Royal Air Force base in Lakenheath, England on Saturday.
"The presence of the F-35 underlines the priority of having ready and stable forces in Europe”, Underlined Army General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, the commander of the US European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe. "These aircraft and, even more so, the men and women who operate with them, strengthen NATO's capability. "
The F-35s come from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings of USAF's Hill base in Utah. The stay will be "several weeks".
"This is an incredible opportunity for US Air Forces in Europe and NATO allies to host this first deployment for overseas training on the F-35A aircraft.Said General Tod D. Wolters, commander of USAFE and Air Forces Africa.
"Since both we and our partners are bringing the aircraft online, it is important to train together, seamlessly, as a capable team to defend the sovereignty of allied nations. The introduction of Europe's leading fifth-generation fighter brings state-of-the-art sensing, interoperability and a wide range of advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons that will help maintain the fundamental territorial and air sovereignty of all nations. The fighter provides unprecedented precision attack capabilities against current and emerging threats with unmatched lethality, survivability and interoperability."
(US DoD images)
