Gallery: US F-35 fighter jets arrive in Estonia
Two U.S. F-35 Lightning II stealth Joint Strike Fighters landed at Ämari Air Base on Tuesday afternoon. The new fighter jets are in Europe for several weeks in order to participate in joint training flights together with the aircraft of U.S. and other allied air forces.
The F-35 is the U.S. military's latest-model aircraft. The multi-purpose stealth fighter jet can be used as a reconnaissance plane or as a tactical bomber.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. is planning on permanently stationing F-35A fighter jets in Europe beginning in 2020.
Last July, Gen. Herbert Carlisle told the Armed Forces Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that they would like to see F-35 aircraft as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission for at least some period of time.
As Carlisle told the online edition of the National Interest, the F-35 conducting flights in the Baltics is intended to send a signal to potential opponents, including Russia.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: ERR
