A surge in US military air activity across Europe and the Middle East is being described as the most significant movement of American aircraft in decades during a period of heightened tensions with Iran.
Jon, a senior editor at the UK Defence Journal, compiled a series of flight tracking summaries on 17 February using publicly available data, stating that the “largest US build-up of kit since the Gulf Wars is now fully underway.”
Final Update for 17/02/2026 #FreeIran
Right, I’ve tried to compile the KEY movements we’ve seen in the last 48hrs into a couple of info tables. First is yesterday – focusing mainly on F-35s from Lakenheath. The other two are today – F-16s/F-22s/E-3Gs/E-11As and tankers.… pic.twitter.com/1i9nczClVf
— DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) February 17, 2026
According to his assessment, the last 48 hours have seen unusually dense activity involving US fighter aircraft and high-value enablers, with the movements grouped into two main phases. The first, he said, focused largely on F-35 activity linked to RAF Lakenheath, while the second phase involved a broader mix of aircraft types including F-16s, F-22s, E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft, E-11A battlefield communications aircraft, and multiple aerial refuelling tankers.
In the update, Jon noted the scale of the activity had made it difficult to compile a complete picture in one sitting, writing: “Missing data will be identified and filled in in the coming days, there has simply been too much for me to compile in one go today, but this paints a fairly good picture.”
The movements come as the wider region is seeing a higher tempo of US deployments than usual, with reporting this week indicating a major naval concentration planned, including two aircraft carriers, escort ships and additional supporting assets. While individual aircraft movements are, obviously, not officially linked to specific operations, the volume of transits and the mix of combat and support aircraft suggest a sustained surge posture rather than routine training activity.
Jon concluded that the pace of activity is likely to continue, adding: “The rest of this week will be very busy.”
I wonder how the US thinks it would be moving all those aircraft to the Middle East without European support. Second time in a month it has needed European basing to enable operations outside of the continental United States.
I distinctly remember Stephen Mills’s saying a month ago the USA is a super power and doesn’t need any Allie’s
Clown 😂
The US doesn’t need Allie’s, it just needs bases
🫡🇺🇸😂
I have zero sympathy for the CRINK regimes and Iran is probably the worst. If Trump knocks the Iranian regime out for a decade and Russia is pinned down in Ukraine until it is forced to withdraw, the chances of worldwide existential war significantly declines.
Yes, every time we bomb a Middle East country and take out a regime it works out really well.
I seem to remember Trump running on a platform about five minutes ago stating to never again do this. Now the Trump-Epstein files are being released he seems to have changed his tune and he is all for regime change.
Dropping a load of bombs isn’t going to result in anything other than bad things for Europe. Best case mass refugee crisis, worst case is terrorist attacks. Highly unlikely to result in a more moderate regime, far more likely to result in giving an even more hard-line one excuses to align the country against the west.