Deployment of a full squadron of F-22s shows Iran that the U.S. means business
Military expert on growing concerns of Iranian attacks in the Middle East
Fox News' Trey Yingst and Heritage Foundation Center for National Defense Robert Greenway on the U.S. increasing military presence in the Middle East as attack threats from Iran increase in the region.
Wow, a whole squadron of U.S. Air Force F-22 stealth fighters is deploying to the Middle East to keep a lid on Iran. This is the biggest crisis deployment ever for America’s top warplane.
That tells me the situation with Iran is very serious indeed.
With the U.S. girding for a broader, multi-axis retaliation by Iran for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is beefing up U.S. forces in the region. Over the weekend he reportedly added F-22s to the combat aircraft already present, plus the Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, and her wing of F/A-18EF Superhornet fighters and EA-18 Growler electronic warfare planes.
If Iran tries another attack with hundreds of missiles and drones, the F-22 can lead U.S. forces fanning out in a defensive shield across the region.
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The F-22 is the world’s most advanced fighter and unmatched by any adversary. Its supersonic speed without afterburner and a colossal radar give the F-22 the ability to detect, track and kill the smallest of targets. Yet the F-22 is so stealthy – hard to see on radar – that it will look no bigger than a bumblebee to Iran’s air defenses.
A US F-22 Raptor overflies during the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE) in Santiago on April 9, 2024. (Photo by RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP via Getty Images)
The F-22s carry air-to-air missiles and ground attack weapons. Just as important, F-22 Raptor pilots also use long-range sensors and to pick up enemy activity. Raptor drivers are a combination of quarterbacks and long-range snipers. And all while flying at 50,000 feet-plus.
F-22s have deployed to the Middle East before, conducting air-to-ground strikes in Syria in 2014 and 2018, and patrolling with allies over eastern Syrian airspace in the war against ISIS. Russian and Syrian pilots over the battle zone often did not even know the F-22s were flying near them.
The surprise this time is the quantity. The Air Force only has 183 total F-22s. They station many F-22s in Alaska and Hawaii to defend U.S. airspace against Chinese and Russian bomber flights and in case of war in the Pacific. The biggest base is at Langley AFB, Virginia, where one Raptor got the call to shoot down the Chinese spy balloon back in February 2023.
Beyond this, the F-22 is so highly capable that a smaller detachment of aircraft can usually get the job done. Just six F-22s deployed to the United Arab Emirates back in February 2022 after the Houthi strikes hit a fuel depot in Abu Dhabi.
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So the deployment of a full squadron of F-22s shows Tehran that the U.S. means business. The F-22s also signal the U.S. is ready to carry out retaliatory strikes of its own against the Houthis or other targets, if needed.
No doubt the massive, visible deployment of F-22s will be avidly watched by China. I mean, Xi Jinping and his generals will switch off the Olympic diving and volleyball to get tactical updates from their pals in Iran on what the F-22s are up to. China also has ships off the Red Sea sucking up tactical information.
A US F-22 Raptor overflies during the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE) in Santiago on April 9, 2024. (Photo by RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP via Getty Images)
Good. It’s a sharp reminder to China that the U.S. Air Force still wields dominant air power and can put combat-seasoned F-22s on China’s doorstep in a matter of hours. No drone can send that message for you.
Another big factor in the F-22 deployment is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C. Q. Brown, U.S. Air Force, who is a fighter pilot himself. Earlier, Brown commanded thousands of missions during three years as the top airman and Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command. Brown knows the capabilities and weak spots of Iran thoroughly. Heck, Brown could fly intercept or strike missions himself. As a younger officer, he was a top aerial warfare tactician and weapons school instructor flying the F-16 fighter plane. Think Maverick’s boss in "Top Gun."
The political situation with Iran and their terror gangs may be a mess, but the U.S. military response is strong and cool-headed. The F-22s and the rest of the air and sea armada have a big task. Iran’s attacks may be wider this time.
On July 19, a Houthi drone launched from Yemen turned to come in over the sea and hit Tel Aviv without being intercepted. Attacks from multiple vectors will test the ability of the U.S., Israel and other regional allies to track and take out drones and missiles from Iran, Yemen and other spots. U.S. forces in Syria, Iraq, the Red Sea, and other locations must be protected, too.
Another successful defense against Iran’s barrage will boost the U.S. posture against China, too. Wargamers believe China’s strategy is to pelt U.S. bases, allies and ships with missiles if war breaks out. Showing that the F-22s can intercept drones and missiles in the Middle East goes a long way toward validating deterrence against China, too.
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Dr. Rebecca Grant is vice president of the Lexington Institute.
