“US Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to US Central Command’s area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of US support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region,” CENTCOM claimed in a statement.
The Raptors were deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia’s 94th Fighter Squadron, Anadolu Agency reported.
The statement said while in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air.
CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla claimed 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,” he added.
RHM/PR