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US fighter jets bound for Europe

August 25, 2015

The United States has announced the deployment of advanced F-22 fighter aircraft to Europe. It says the move is to support allies concerned over Russian aggression.

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US-amerikanischer Kampfjet abgestürzt pixel
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

United States Air Force officials said the deployment would train alongside other nations' militaries, and support eastern European NATO members concerned over Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine.

"Russia's military activity in the Ukraine continues to be of great concern to us and to our European allies," Air Force Secretary Deborah James said.

"For the Air Force, an F-22 deployment is certainly on the strong side of the coin."

The move will allow F-22 pilots to gain more experience over European terrain, James said.

Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh said it would test the jets' ability to communicate and fight with other advanced warplanes operated by European allies.

Officials would not say when nor where the jets would be deployed.

The single-seat, twin-engine F-22 was designed by Lockheed and Boeing Co as an air superiority fighter, but can be used for ground attacks, electronic warfare and signals intelligence.

The US has used the planes to carry out some of its attacks against "Islamic State" (IS) militants.

jr/lw (AP, Reuters)