Report: US Relocating Advanced Aircraft to Asia and Europe

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Facts

  • The US reportedly plans to deploy aging A-10 attack planes to the Middle East as a replacement for more advanced combat aircraft that will be sent to Europe and Asia. The move is reportedly part of a pivot away from the Middle East to focus more on China and Russia.1
  • The deployment of A-10 aircraft is scheduled to take place in April. The US reportedly plans to keep retaining modest naval and ground forces in the Middle East.2
  • Under the realignment, a squadron of A-10s will reportedly be based in the Middle East along with two squadrons of F-15E and F-16 aircraft. The continued use of A-10s has raised some complaints as the planes are nearly four decades old, and the Air Force has moved to phase out the model.3
  • The US will continue to keep approximately 2.5K troops in Iraq, and 900 troops in Syria to help the countries fight the Islamic State group. Over 30K US military personnel will reportedly remain in the region overall.3
  • The report of these plans comes after a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The leaders reportedly discussed the Ukraine War and signed an agreement bringing ties into a “new era” of cooperation.4

Sources: 1Middle East Eye, 2Reuters, 3Wall Street Journal, and 4Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. While the A-10 is an aged model, it still has utility in the Middle East. The US military must allocate the most suitable aircraft to the highest threat regions. The threats the US is currently facing have changed, so the deployment of these assets must change as well. It's time for the US Armed Forces to prioritize Russia and China.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Wall Street Journal. Force levels in the Middle East are insufficient to deal with the myriad of threats in the region. Cuts in troop and resource deployment to the Middle East have already challenged the US forces in the area. This new plan will put even more pressure on these forces — the Middle East needs strong, continued attention from the Pentagon.