NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030

[Get Ya Wig Split]

NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030​

F-35s in Eastern Europe have been performing some “elegant” intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions as part of the NATO response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the head of U.S. European Command told lawmakers March 30—and he expects the fighter’s presence on the continent to expand dramatically by the end of the decade, exceeding earlier predictions.

Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, who also serves as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, added to members of the House Armed Services Committee that getting more F-35s delivered to Europe, either as part of the U.S. Air Force or for other nations, is “critical.”

“They’ll deliver a tremendous improvement in our strategic ability, in indications and warnings, command and control, and mission command, as already demonstrated by U.S. F-35s that are contributing in the assure and deter mission at this time,” Wolters said.

In mid-February, just before the start of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the U.S. deployed F-35s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to enhance NATO’s defense posture. Those jets were later sent to Romania and Poland to bolster the eastern flank, arriving on Feb. 24.

At the time, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said six of the fifth-generation fighters were being deployed. More than a month later, Wolters told Congress that four are still being used in the region, to great effect.

“The U.S. F-35As, the four that we have right now, are in use, and they’ve been very effective doing some elegant ISR activities. And it just reveals to us how much greater capability we’re going to have once we get our full fleet on board,” Wolters said.

USAF has deployed more F-15s and F-16s to Eastern Europe during this crisis, but the performance of the F-35s is being closely watched by many—Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said their success could go a long way in building his confidence in the program.

Wolters declined more discussion on the importance of the F-35’s capabilities in Europe to a classified setting on March 30, but it appears more and more likely that the fighter will play a key role in the continent’s future defense.

In June 2021, Wolters predicted during an Atlantic Council discussion that by 2030, there could be 450 F-35s in Europe. Since then, Finland and Germany have said they will buy the fighter as well, joining the U.S., Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the U.K., and Switzerland as European nations and partners who have either started fielding the F-35 or have plans to do so.

The response to Russian aggression has helped to drive that demand, and Wolters told the HASC that he was upping his prediction.

“The disposition of the NATO nations with respect to the F-35 is dramatically growing,” Wolters said. “And our hope is, we have 100 on the continent right now, and we anticipate in 2030, growing to 550, and that’s a good fleet.”

MiG-29s Raised Again​

While Wolters touted the capabilities that the F-35 has been able to offer during the recent crisis, he sounded less optimistic when it came to an issue that several representatives raised—the transfer of Soviet MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine, using the U.S. as an intermediary.

The idea, put forward by Poland several weeks ago, was quickly shot down by the Pentagon, which said it didn’t consider the proposal “tenable.”

Since then, however, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has pushed for the transfer, which Ukraine has asked for.

The issue was raised once more by both Republicans and Democrats on the congressional panel, and Wolters reiterated that his best military advice has been for the U.S. not to send any jets to Ukraine.

“It goes back to the military mission effectiveness weighed against strategic miscalculation, to make sure you take into account the protection of the citizens of Ukraine, as well as the citizens on the periphery. So all those variables have to come into play,” Wolters said.

NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030 | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Gen. Tod D. Wolters, head of US European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, said getting more F-35s in Europe is crucial.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[gambit]

Will someone PLEASE bring on Pierre Sprey. The F-35 haters are in agony.

 

[HAIDER]

NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030​

View attachment 829832

F-35s in Eastern Europe have been performing some “elegant” intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions as part of the NATO response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the head of U.S. European Command told lawmakers March 30—and he expects the fighter’s presence on the continent to expand dramatically by the end of the decade, exceeding earlier predictions.

Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, who also serves as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, added to members of the House Armed Services Committee that getting more F-35s delivered to Europe, either as part of the U.S. Air Force or for other nations, is “critical.”

“They’ll deliver a tremendous improvement in our strategic ability, in indications and warnings, command and control, and mission command, as already demonstrated by U.S. F-35s that are contributing in the assure and deter mission at this time,” Wolters said.

In mid-February, just before the start of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the U.S. deployed F-35s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to enhance NATO’s defense posture. Those jets were later sent to Romania and Poland to bolster the eastern flank, arriving on Feb. 24.

At the time, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said six of the fifth-generation fighters were being deployed. More than a month later, Wolters told Congress that four are still being used in the region, to great effect.

“The U.S. F-35As, the four that we have right now, are in use, and they’ve been very effective doing some elegant ISR activities. And it just reveals to us how much greater capability we’re going to have once we get our full fleet on board,” Wolters said.

USAF has deployed more F-15s and F-16s to Eastern Europe during this crisis, but the performance of the F-35s is being closely watched by many—Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said their success could go a long way in building his confidence in the program.

Wolters declined more discussion on the importance of the F-35’s capabilities in Europe to a classified setting on March 30, but it appears more and more likely that the fighter will play a key role in the continent’s future defense.

In June 2021, Wolters predicted during an Atlantic Council discussion that by 2030, there could be 450 F-35s in Europe. Since then, Finland and Germany have said they will buy the fighter as well, joining the U.S., Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the U.K., and Switzerland as European nations and partners who have either started fielding the F-35 or have plans to do so.

The response to Russian aggression has helped to drive that demand, and Wolters told the HASC that he was upping his prediction.

“The disposition of the NATO nations with respect to the F-35 is dramatically growing,” Wolters said. “And our hope is, we have 100 on the continent right now, and we anticipate in 2030, growing to 550, and that’s a good fleet.”

MiG-29s Raised Again​

While Wolters touted the capabilities that the F-35 has been able to offer during the recent crisis, he sounded less optimistic when it came to an issue that several representatives raised—the transfer of Soviet MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine, using the U.S. as an intermediary.

The idea, put forward by Poland several weeks ago, was quickly shot down by the Pentagon, which said it didn’t consider the proposal “tenable.”

Since then, however, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has pushed for the transfer, which Ukraine has asked for.

The issue was raised once more by both Republicans and Democrats on the congressional panel, and Wolters reiterated that his best military advice has been for the U.S. not to send any jets to Ukraine.

“It goes back to the military mission effectiveness weighed against strategic miscalculation, to make sure you take into account the protection of the citizens of Ukraine, as well as the citizens on the periphery. So all those variables have to come into play,” Wolters said.

NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030 | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Gen. Tod D. Wolters, head of US European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, said getting more F-35s in Europe is crucial.

www.airforcemag.com

If US wants to increase the F35 sales pitch then prolong the Ukraine war.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Will someone PLEASE bring on Pierre Sprey. The F-35 haters are in agony.

Just a few months too late

Pierre Sprey - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pierre Michel Sprey (November 22, 1937 – August 4, 2021)

 

[lamdacore]

If US wants to increase the F35 sales pitch then prolong the Ukraine war.

Exactly my thoughts! F35 has been faced with so many problems and such massive costs that affordability is a real problem. In face of China as a near-peer adversary and one that is outpacing the US in conventional armaments, the future of the F35 looked bleak. The cost of the F35 program has gone more that a trillion dollars!! That cost needs to be recovered somehow.

However, with the US fighting so many pointless wars and wastage of treasure, the USAF has decided to buy more F15EX due to far lower price tag. This was the primary customer of the F35.

So, who is going to buy F35s and help recover the trillion plus investment in the project?

The only way is to create a sales pitch and the Ukraine war presents such an opportunity. Revitalsing the braindead NATO and with Germany's announcement of re-arming its armed forces, the F35 suddenly has a future. Germany has already announced the purchase of 35 F35 jets and is bound to be more to follow. Being the centrepoint of EU, it is only natural that all NATO forces would need to align the acquisition of their military assets for easier integration and maintenance across the region. So, it is no surprise that NATO is predicting such numbers.

To increase this number, the US needs to pull out the SU57 and somewhere close to Ukraine's western borders. That would give the right scare to NATO to procure more F35s.

At the end, it is the US interest that ultimately matters. Someone has to pay for the trillion+ dollars.

 

[FuturePAF]

Will someone PLEASE bring on Pierre Sprey. The F-35 haters are in agony.

Pierre passed away

 

[xuxu1457]

The United States is selling two things, war and the dollar.The interests of the military-industrial complex are too great.

 

[gambit]

Exactly my thoughts! F35 has been faced with so many problems and such massive costs that affordability is a real problem. In face of China as a near-peer adversary and one that is outpacing the US in conventional armaments, the future of the F35 looked bleak. The cost of the F35 program has gone more that a trillion dollars!! That cost needs to be recovered somehow.

Looks like we have a new Pierre Sprey. Hope you hang around long enough to see how the first Pierre Sprey failed.

 

[sammuel]

NATO Commander Increases Prediction to 550 F-35s in Europe by 2030​

Wow , great . Money that could have gone on health care , education and social condition , will now go on planes that can carry only two passengers.

Thank you Putin for bringing back the cold war arms race. Exactly what the world needed after two years of corona virus.

~

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Exactly my thoughts! F35 has been faced with so many problems and such massive costs that affordability is a real problem. In face of China as a near-peer adversary and one that is outpacing the US in conventional armaments, the future of the F35 looked bleak. The cost of the F35 program has gone more that a trillion dollars!! That cost needs to be recovered somehow.

However, with the US fighting so many pointless wars and wastage of treasure, the USAF has decided to buy more F15EX due to far lower price tag. This was the primary customer of the F35.

So, who is going to buy F35s and help recover the trillion plus investment in the project?

The only way is to create a sales pitch and the Ukraine war presents such an opportunity. Revitalsing the braindead NATO and with Germany's announcement of re-arming its armed forces, the F35 suddenly has a future. Germany has already announced the purchase of 35 F35 jets and is bound to be more to follow. Being the centrepoint of EU, it is only natural that all NATO forces would need to align the acquisition of their military assets for easier integration and maintenance across the region. So, it is no surprise that NATO is predicting such numbers.

To increase this number, the US needs to pull out the SU57 and somewhere close to Ukraine's western borders. That would give the right scare to NATO to procure more F35s.

At the end, it is the US interest that ultimately matters. Someone has to pay for the trillion+ dollars.

The development cost of the F-35 is $50-70B.
The program cost is perhaps a trillion, but more sales of the F-35 will just increase the program cost.

 

[tower9]

What a great day for the Military Industrial Complex. The energy crisis is also pushing untold of profits for American gas/energy companies. The corporate oligarchs and Zog wins again.

Dumb Euro poodles and the American middle class will be destroyed, but **** em. As long as the zog corporate elites win, that's all that matters for Wall Street.

 

[sammuel]

Dumb Euro poodles and the American middle class will be destroyed, but **** em. As long as the zog corporate elites win, that's all that matters for Wall Street.

You mean this guy ?

 

[tower9]

You mean this guy ?

If only they were that cute

 

[gambit]

What a great day for the Military Industrial Complex.

It is also a great day for the Chinese MIC because without US, there would nothing for you guys to do.