Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said six US Navy Growler aircraft will arrive in Germany on Monday to bolster electronic warfare capabilities on NATO’s eastern flank
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The EA-18G Growler aircraft, along with about 240 Navy personnel, will fly from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, to Spangdahlem Air Base, where they are temporarily based, Kirby told reporters.
The aircraft, built by Boeing Co., specialize in flying electronic warfare missions that use jamming sensors to confuse enemy radars, “which greatly aids in the ability to suppress enemy air defense operations,” Kirby said.
However, he stressed that the planes will not be used against Russian forces in Ukraine and “are not being sent because of a perceived imminent threat or specific incident”.
Rather, they will fly missions to “bolster the Alliance’s deterrent capabilities on the eastern flank. They’re not there to attack Russian assets, that’s not the goal,” Kirby said.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Lloyd AustinBiden meets with senior Ukrainian officials in Poland The Biden administration is seeking to dismiss Oklahoma’s lawsuit over the National Guard’s vaccination mandate. Pentagon: Russian defense officials have declined to take multiple calls from fellow U.S. commanders General Tod Wolters and the German government: “This was seen as an additional step that could further strengthen and strengthen our defenses on the eastern flank,” Kirby said.
The US military has about 100,000 personnel stationed either on a rotating or permanent basis in Europe as Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth week.
The attack on Ukraine that began on February 24 has caused nearly 4 million people to flee the country and prompted NATO to reinforce its forces in nearby allies.