According to the US DoD, the first six of 12 US Air Force F-15C Eagle jet fighters arrived on Incirlik Air Base in Turkey this week to conduct combat air patrols in Turkish airspace at the request of its government.
The United States agreed last month to the Turkish government’s request for support to secure the sovereignty of its airspace, Cook said.
The US action reflects “both our commitment to ensure the safety of our NATO ally and our commitment to degrade and ultimately defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,” he added.
The US Air Force will also soon deploy F-15E Strike Eagle jets to Incirlik as part of the coalition’s counter-ISIL operations, although their number and date of arrival are yet to be determined.
The US presence in Turkey includes US personnel recovery assets and manned and remotely piloted aircraft already conducting counter-IS missions from Incirlik.
To US why dont u give the same support in the phillipine send send jet fighter to patrol the west phil. sea
Hi Leo,
The US donate old patrol vessels and routinely send combat vessels to the region.
Turkey is one of the largest members of NATO and one of the strongest militarily in the Middle East with roughly over 160x f-16. Why the hell does it need the US to protect its air space?!
morale support!
I’d have thought a country of Turkey’s military stature would have been embarrassed at not being able to protect their own air space. Can only assume they would much rather U.S jets tangle with any “straying” Russian aircraft than their own
Strong in numbers, not in will.
We have the will to wreak havoc on your country…
Oooo
Sorry but I wouldn’t be supporting a country that lets ISIS fighters pass through its country at will, let’s ISIS recruit in its cities and hell even bombs ISIS opposition and not ISIS think Turkey should be booted out of NATO and bombed also
They have there own bomber/fighters