The U.S. Air Force is sending a squadron of F-22 stealth fighters to the Middle East to contain Iran. This is the largest crisis deployment for America’s most powerful warplane.
This tells me that the situation in Iran is grave.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has increased the U.S. military presence in the region as the U.S. prepares for a multi-faceted, broader retaliation from Iran in response to the murder of Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran. He reportedly added F-22s over the weekend to the combat planes already present. Also, the Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its wing of F/A-18EF superhornet fighters, as well as EA-18 Growlers electronic warfare planes, were reported.
The F-22 is capable of directing U.S. troops to form a defensive shield if Iran launches another attack using hundreds of drones and missiles.
The F-22 is unmatched in the world as a fighter. The F-22’s supersonic speed and massive radar allow it to track, detect, and destroy even the smallest targets. The F-22, which is hard to detect on radar, will appear no larger than a bumblebee for Iran’s air defenses.
F-22 Raptors are equipped with air-to-air and ground-attack weapons. F-22 Raptor Pilots use long-range sensor systems to detect enemy activity. Raptor pilots are a mix of long-range snipers and quarterbacks. All this while flying at more than 50,000 feet.
F-22s were deployed in the Middle East in the past, conducting air-to-ground strikes in Syria between 2014 and 2018 and patrolling over eastern Syrian airspace with allies in the war against ISIS. F-22s often flew near Russian and Syrian fighter pilots without them knowing.
Quantity is what has surprised us this time. Air Force has only 183 F-22s. Many F-22s are stationed in Alaska and Hawaii to protect U.S. airspace from Chinese and Russian bomber flights and in case there is a war in the Pacific. Langley AFB in Virginia is the largest base, and one Raptor was given the order to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon as early as February 2023.
The F-22 is capable of so much more than this. A smaller group of aircraft will usually be able to accomplish the mission. Six F-22s were deployed to the United Arab Emirates in February 2022, after Houthi attacks hit an Abu Dhabi fuel depot.
The deployment of an entire squadron of F-22s tells Tehran that Washington is serious. The F-22s are also a sign that the U.S. will be ready to launch retaliatory attacks against the Houthis and other targets if necessary.
China will no doubt be watching the F-22s closely, especially with their massive and visible deployment. I’m sure Xi Jinping, his generals, and their friends in Iran will be switching off Olympic diving and volleyball so they can get tactical updates on the F-22s from their Iranian buddies. China has ships in the Red Sea that are snatching up tactical data.
Good. This is a reminder to China of the U.S. Air Force’s dominance in air power. They can send combat-trained F-22s right on their doorstep within hours. No drone can do that for you.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C. Q., is also a major factor in the F-22’s deployment. Brown, U.S. Air Force is himself a fighter pilot. Brown, the former top airman of U.S. Central Command and deputy commander of thousands of missions in three years. Brown is well-versed in the capabilities of Iran and its weak points. Brown is capable of flying interceptor or strike missions. He was an aerial warfare tactician, weapons school instructor, and F-16 fighter pilot when he was younger. Think of Maverick in “Top Gun.”
The situation in Iran with their terrorist gangs is a mess. But the U.S. response to this crisis has been strong and logical. The F-22s and the rest of the air and naval armada face a difficult task. Iran’s attack may be more extensive this time.
A Houthi drone that was launched in Yemen on July 19 turned and came over the sea to hit Tel Aviv, without being intercepted. Multiple vectors of attack will test Israel, the U.S., and other regional partners’ ability to track down and destroy drones and missiles launched from Iran, Yemen, and other places. U.S. troops in Syria, Iraq, and the Red Sea must also be protected.
A successful U.S. defense against Iran’s barrage would also boost the U.S. position against China. According to wargamers, China plans to use missiles against U.S. bases and allies as well as ships if a conflict breaks out. The fact that F-22s can intercept drones and other missiles in the Middle East is a big step towards validating the deterrence of China.
