Large American Stealth Fighter Fleet is Training Near Russian Borders to Operate in Extreme Cold

   

Formerly a Russian territory, the state of Alaska which closely borders Russia by sea has been prioritised for deployment of the most capable U.S. Air Force fighter classes since the Cold War, and has hosted a growing contingent of fifth generation stealth fighters well within range of Russian airspace.

Only the United States and China have fifth generation fighters both in production and fielded at squadron level strength, namely the F-35 and J-20 aircraft, with the U.S. having previously produced the F-22 Raptor as a heavier twin engine counterpart to the F-35 before the program was terminated early in 2011.

The F-22 was first deployed to Alaska in 2007, less than two years after it entered service, with the Raptor fleet in the state at times growing to 24 aircraft – one seventh of all F-22s ever built. The F-35 fleet in Alaska was built up for two years from 2020, with the last of the 54 jets arriving at Eielson Air Force Base in April 2022. The newer fighter has more modern electronic warfare systems and avionics than the F-22 but is still years away from being fully operational, while the Raptor benefits from a superior flight performance and stealth capabilities and the ability to carry larger numbers of missiles.

The presence of Russian fighters and bombers off the Alaskan coast has at times strained the high maintenance F-22 fleet to intercept and tail them, with Russian Su-35 fighters and Tu-95 bombers deployed across the Bering Strait having far higher endurances and much lower operational costs than the American jets.

Four stealth fighter squadrons are currently deployed in Alaska altogether including two F-35 squadrons under 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson Air Force Base in central Alaska, and two F-22 squadrons deployed further south at at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson farther south. The extreme temperatures place a considerable strain on operations, providing experience which could prove highly useful in a conflict with Russia which is itself well accustomed to deploying combat jets from airfields where temperatures are far below freezing.

Commander of the 354th Fighter Wing Colonel David Berkland stated to this effect: “We have a motto that ‘we’re ready to go at 50 below.’ Today’s a beautiful 78 degree day, but if you come back in February, you’ll see that it’s a fairly ominous environment to maintain and support and operate airplanes.”

“All of our mission-important people that are out there on the flightline operating, clearing the snow and ice around the clock, they have to operate in those environments. They have to maintain vehicles in that environment, in those conditions, so it is a challenge… Before our pilots can fly here in the winter months,” Berkland said, “they have to go through Arctic survival school that is conducted here at Eielson, which is fantastic training, very sobering or chilling maybe would be the word because you’re out there for a couple of nights and surviving down to -50.” Some more novel changes included flying “with gloves that are cut off on the thumb and the two fingers,” which was needed to operate the F-35 because of its touchscreen features. Other officers highlighted that Alaksa’s position “kind of at the end of the logistics train for most of our parts and supplies” meant replenishing equipment could take considerably longer than it would for fighter units based elsewhere.

F-35As with the 354th Fighter Wing in Alaska

Beyond Alaska, the U.S. Air Force in 2021 deployed B-1B bombers to the Arctic from bases in Norway – to which Russia responded with a similar deployment by its MiG-31 interceptors. The considerable performance issues the B-1s suffered in the extreme climate, however, mean that such deployments may not be repeated. Where Norway in January became the first country to operate an exclusively fifth generation fighter fleet, and is currently the only one to do so with all F-16s replaced with F-35s, as F-35s form a growing portion of the American fleet the ability to operate them in more extreme climates is expected to be further tested.

The F-35 program has nevertheless been the target for widespread and intense criticism by both military and civilian officials, referred by the last holder of the post of Secretary of Defence under the Donald Trump administration, Christopher C. Miller, referring to the program as a “monster” the military had created and to the fighter itself as “a piece of…”. More recently in May House Armed Service Subcommittee on Readiness Chairman Congressman John Garamendi slammed the aircraft as one reliant on engines that “don’t work,” with a nearly two hour hearing on Capitol Hill seeing the fighter’s unsustainable maintenance needs and operational costs particularly harshly criticised.

Related Posts

The rotor blades, or blades of a helicopter, have an asymmetrical shape that highlights a unique design intended to maximize aerodynamic performance.

Contrary to its portrayal in мoʋies and pictures, the shape of helicopter Ƅlades, or rotor Ƅlades, is not syммetric, showcasing a distinct design tailored for optiмal aerodynaмic…

Beyond the Sky: Disclosing NASA’s Ingenious Methods Pushing the Boundaries of Future Aircraft Designs

Here are NASA’s мost exciting future aircraft concepts. As per the outlined ѕtгаteɡу, these innovative aircraft concepts from NASA are projected for implementation by 2025. The image…

the Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle (LAV II): A Cutting-Edge Vigilante in the Shadow of Conflict

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, the Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle, known as LAV II (Light Armoured Vehicle II), emerges as a silent sentinel, blending cutting-edge technology…

US Shares the $600 Million LCS Independence: Two Strong Women

“US Uпveils $600 Millioп LCS Iпdepeпdeпce: A Trio of Mighty Warships” Iп a momeпtoυs aппoυпcemeпt, the Uпited States has proυdly revealed the commissioпiпg of the LCS Iпdepeпdeпce,…

Investigate the Nemeziv Ifv Advanced Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

In the realm of modern military affairs, the strength of a nation is often gauged by the capabilities of their armed forces. In that vision, the development…

The largest aircraft carrier in the world, the USS Gerald R. Ford, can accommodate hundreds of aircraft.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, capable of carrying over 75 aircraft, is the largest aircraft carrier in the world. The $13 Billion, 337m-long flagship aircraft carrier joined…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *