FLYING IN HIS FACE

Donald Trump’s UK-based F-35 jets land on Vladimir Putin’s doorstep to join Nato taskforce in Estonia

The cutting edge F-35A stealth Joint Strike Fighters will also deploy to Romania in a bid to calm fears of Russian attack

       



SWNS:South West News Service
F-35A Lightening 11 aircraft assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Base, Uttah, land at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk

DONALD Trump has deployed his UK-based F-35 fighter jets to Vladimir Putin’s doorstep in Estonia in a move sure to rile the Russian leader.

The cutting edge F-35A stealth Joint Strike Fighters were welcomed on the tarmac as they touched down in the former Eastern Bloc country today.

SWNS:South West News Service    

A US F-35 Lightning II jet takes to the skies above RAF Lakenheath this month

SWNS:South West News Service    

The jets will soon join other Nato forces in eastern Europe, reports claim

The American news outlet quoted an unnamed US official as saying the aircraft will join up with other Nato forces in the Baltic state.
The Estonian defence ministry tweeted to confirm the move, saying the jets would be heading to the country’s northern Ämari air base for training exercises.
Estonia shares a border of almost 200 miles with Russia, and the move is likely to anger its neighbour.
 

     

      

     

But Putin’s protests and threats have only served to fuel the build-up of Nato forces in eastern Europe.
As well as Estonia, the F-35s will also be sent to Romania – another Nato member.
Costing more than £80million each, F-35A jets are considered the world’s most advanced warplanes and can fly at more than 1,200mph.
They carry a devastating arsenal of weaponry including the pin-point accurate Paveway missile and the ability to carry nuclear devices.

SWNS:South West News Service   

The F-35A is one of the most advanced warplanes on the planet

hA US Air Force spokesman said: “The F-35A is a multi-role precision attack fighter with unmatched lethality, survivability and interoperability.”
The deployment of the jets – which took to the skies above RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk earlier this month – forms part of the European Reassurance Initiative.
The initiative was set up amid fears among some of Russia’s neighbours after Putin’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Ukraine.

BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE   

The jets will also be deployed in Romania in a bid to warn off Russian aggression

The move was carried out under the pretence of protecting the Russian-speaking minority concentrated in that region – where there is also a strategic naval base.
But many other small states – such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – also have sizeable Russian minorities and fear a similar move
(The Sun, UK)

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