In May, US troops joined forces with other NATO members to demonstrate combat readiness in northern Macedonia, where US F-35A stealth fighters made an “exciting appearance”.
In a new round of exercises conducted to provide security in the country, a pair of US F-35A fighters landed at Petrovec military airport near Skopje, the capital of Northern Macedonia.
The F-35A fighters, owned by the Vermont National Guard, are part of a force stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany for NATO air policing. NATO airstrikes have intensified and become more coordinated since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
The stealth fighters were armed with advanced AIM-120 or AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles when they landed at Petrovec. This is the first time the F-35A stealth fighter has landed in Northern Macedonia or any other Balkan country.
According to USAFE, the top command of the Air Force in Europe, the purpose of the fighter mission in Northern Macedonia is to demonstrate the concepts of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations and to “reassure” a NATO ally. The Alliance is currently considering ways to further strengthen its defenses on the east side so that aggression does not spread.
According to the ACE idea, the US Army, Navy and Air Force should be able to deploy rapidly in a given area and conduct scattered and long-term operations if necessary.
The Air Force has demonstrated its ability to quickly refuel and exchange pilots in F-35As at Petrovec at the recent ACE Demonstration, according to the USAF.
The F-35 can carry four AIM-120 missiles, a new generation of all-weather weapon manufactured by Raytheon. The first such missile was launched by an F-35A fighter five years ago, in February 2017.
First ever landing of an F-35A in one of the countries of Former Yugoslavia. Two
@usairforce
AIM-120 carrying Lightning II’s of the 134FS visited Skopje, North Macedonia today. Unique apron setup placed them in the middle of one Mi-24V and a Mi-17 of the North M. AF.
pic.twitter.com/yLR1x2io5C– Peter Voinovich (@PeterVoinovich)
June 17, 2022
The Eurasian Times / Twitter Photo
