US Air Force Increases Presence in Middle East to Combat Adversaries
The US Air Force has increased its presence in the Middle East to combat the growing challenges arising from regional and international adversaries, according to Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the Ninth Air Force. The deployment of US F-22 Raptor fighters to the region this month is intended to provide extra strength in the face of potential threats from Iran or Russia in Syria or elsewhere. The Raptors, from the 94th Fighter Squadron based in Virginia, will integrate with existing coalition forces on the ground and in the air. The Ninth Air Force is part of US Central Command, which counts the Middle East as part of its area of responsibility.
US-Saudi Military Relationship Described as Strong
Grynkewich described the US-Saudi military relationship as “strong”. He said he often meets his counterparts from the Kingdom to discuss ways in which military ties and regional coordination can be enhanced. Central Command and the Saudi Armed Forces recently conducted a multilateral military exercise, “Eagle Resolve,” along with the armed forces of other Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
US Efforts to Integrate Military Forces in the Region
As part of US efforts to integrate military forces in the region with its own missions and weapons systems, Grynkewich said American forces have conducted important exercises that used Join Direct Attack Munition GBU-38 heavy bombs and, for the first time in live training missions with partners, the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, a long-range, 1,000lb cruise missile.
US Forces Remain Committed to Fighting Daesh
Grynkewich added that US forces remain committed to the fight against Daesh in the region, as the group still has operational capabilities in some parts of Syria and Iraq.
The F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Raptor is one of the most advanced fifth-generation tactical fighters, which combines stealth and bombing capabilities.
US National Defense Strategy in the Middle East
The US recently updated its National Defense Strategy in the Middle East, which has undergone a “paradigm shift” and now focuses on “interoperability, complex joint exercises and integration of weapons and values,” according to Grynkewich.
Positive Development in Efforts to Defuse Tensions
Grynkewich described the recent agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalize diplomatic relations as a “positive” development in efforts to defuse tensions in the region. “I think there is a lot of good when countries are talking to each other and when they have diplomatic relations; it will provide avenues to resolve their differences,” said Grynkewich. “That sort of rapprochement and reconciliation, in my view, is always welcome.”
Show of Force and Deterrence
The deployment of US F-22 Raptor fighters to the Middle East is also a show of force and deterrence in response to the Russian Air Force, which currently operates in Syrian airspace, according to Grynkewich. Raptors escort many US regional partners during airborne missions.