A pair of United States fighter aircraft, which have received electronic warfare upgrades, were deployed to a NATO air base in Europe, enhancing the alliance's defense.
Why It Matters
Russia's relations with the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War. Russian officials have repeatedly insinuated that Moscow could orchestrate attacks against members of the NATO military alliance, in response to their support of Ukraine throughout the war.
What To Know
The F-15E aircraft's deployment site is the Royal Air Force base at Lakenheath, in the United Kingdom, located 70 miles northeast of London. It currently hosts the 48th Fighter Wing of the U.S. Air Force and is the largest American-operated air base in England.
The 48th Fighter Wing operates the F-15E Strike Eagle and the F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft. Its Strike Eagle fleet is also capable of carrying nuclear gravity bombs, according to the Federation of American Scientists, which forms part of NATO's nuclear deterrence.
In a press release on Tuesday, the 48th Fighter Wing revealed that the upgraded F-15E jets reached Lakenheath last Thursday, joining the base's two combat-ready Strike Eagle units that are capable of executing strategic attacks, the 492nd and the 494th Fighter Squadrons.
The aircraft are equipped with the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), which can take proactive measures to "deny, degrade, and disrupt" threats that are autonomously detected, identified, and located by the system, the press release said.
The EPAWSS enhanced the ability to detect and counter threats, said the head of the 494th Fighter Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Causey. It enables the Strike Eagle aircraft to survive and operate in highly contested environments, the 48th Fighter Wing added.
Mystery drones were spotted flying over Lakenheath and two other air bases in Britain used by the U.S. last November. The U.S. Air Force said then that none of the incursions impacted base critical infrastructure.
According to The War Zone, a specialist outlet, air defense threats of nowadays are more diverse, complex, and unpredictable than before. The EPAWSS will guarantee the Strike Eagle aircraft, which have been in service since 1989, remain effective in the future.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing, said in a press release: "By equipping these aircraft [upgraded F-15E Strike Eagles] with advanced electronic warfare capabilities, the 48th FW [Fighter Wing] is ensuring their readiness for operations in austere environments and supporting NATO's missions across Europe and the Pacific."
U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Causey, commander of the 494th Fighter Squadron, said in a press release: "This advanced electronic warfare system, when combined with the F-35s, acts as a powerful force multiplier, transforming our operations and amplifying the 48th Fighter Wing's impact in the battlespace."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how many aircraft in the F-15E fleet will receive EPAWSS upgrades.
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