- The US military has deployed F-22 stealth fighters to positions in the Middle East.
- US Central Command indicated the move is to deter aggressive actions by Russian aircraft.
- Officials have noted several instances in recent months where Russian jets made "unsafe" maneuvers.
The US military has deployed F-22 Raptors to the Middle East in a show of strength in response to a recent string of "unsafe" and "unprofessional" actions by Russian pilots.
A squadron of F-22 jets were transferred earlier this week from a forward deployed location in Europe to US Central Command's (CENTCOM) area of responsibility — a chunk of territory that encompasses over 4 million miles across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.
CENTCOM said on Wednesday that the Raptors' deployment is meant to demonstrate US "support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region," and it highlights Washington's "ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment's notice."
In recent months, US officials have called attention to several instances in which Russian aircraft appear to have executed aggressive maneuvers around American assets and interests across the Middle East. These include aggressive flying near US aircraft almost like the Russians, as one general described it, want to dogfight with American jets and armed flyovers of military garrisons, among other incidents.
Since the start of March, the Russians "have been flying unprofessionally in our airspace over Syria," Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of Air Forces Central (AFCENT), said in a written statement shared with Insider on Thursday. "They've done this episodically since 2019 and they are undermining our efforts refusing to abide by our established protocols."
"They maneuver aggressively as opposed to following the rules we have established to stay a certain distance from us," he said, adding that "they are maneuvering aggressively with live weapons on board and in the context of global events that is escalatory and entirely unprofessional."
Grynkewich added that the F-22s have already flown missions over Syria since their deployment. While the jets send a message, an AFCENT spokesperson told Insider that the "primary purpose" of the fighter jets is to contribute to the ongoing defeat-ISIS mission.
"Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," CENTCOM's commander Gen. Michael Kurilla said in a statement. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."
The F-22 was first introduced in 2005. Developed to counter threats posed by the Soviets and a rising China, the aircraft is the first fifth-generation fighter and has long been considered to be the top US air superiority fighter. It can also strike ground targets from high altitudes at cruise speeds.
The latest deployment to CENTCOM's area of responsibility is not a first for the fighter aircraft, as the F-22 already has operational experience in the Middle East, specifically targeting Islamic State assets in Syria. But even with its many years in service, the F-22 didn't notch its first confirmed air-to-air kills until it downed a Chinese spy balloon and an unidentified aerial object earlier this year.
The US no longer builds the F-22, which is staring down an eventual retirement at the request of the Air Force. The aircraft is slated to be replaced by the US military's sixth-generation project — known as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform — starting in 2030.