Washington — The US Armed Forces (USAF) have announced the transfer of six electronic warfare aircraft to a base in Germany in light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The six US Navy EA-18 Growler Boeing fighter jets are due to be transferred from their current location in the state of Washington to the US base at Spangdahlem in Rhineland-Palatinate, US Defence Department spokesman John Kirby said on Monday. An accompanying transfer of 240 soldiers, including technicians and pilots for the planes, would also be made with the aircraft, he said.
The fighter jets are particularly useful for taking out the air defences of an enemy state, Kirkby said. The special electronics on board could jam radars, he explained. Kirby stressed that the planes were not intended for use against the Russian military in Ukraine, but rather to strengthen NATO's eastern flank and to serve as a deterrent against Russia. The aircraft were due to arrive in Germany later on Monday, he said.
The transfer was coordinated with the German government, Kirby added, stressing that the strengthening of military capabilities on NATO's eastern flank was a precautionary measure rather than a reaction to a concrete threat scenario.
In the face of the growing threat from Russia, US President Joe Biden has significantly expanded the presence of US forces in Europe since the beginning of the year, taking the number of troops stationed on the continent from around 80,000 to 100,000. The latest reinforcement was sent mainly to countries on NATO's eastern flank, including the Baltic States, Poland and Romania.
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