The US has deployed several F-22 Raptor fighter jets to an allied base
less than 320 kilometers (200 miles) from Iran, FOX news reported
Friday.
The F-22, produced by Lockheed Martin, is the US' premier
fighter jet, boasting stealth technology and specializing in air-to-air
combat. It has not yet seen combat.
The US Air Force has
strongly denied that this deployment represents a show of force against
Iran or is in anyway related to a potential strike on Iran's nuclear
facilities, the report stated. Instead, the move is part of a route
deployment and "security cooperation with regional partners."
US
officials told FOX that the jets were moved to hangars at the United
Arab Emirates' Al Dafra Air Base. The US Air Force declined to comment
on the number of jets sent or their location.
In a written
statement, Lt.Col. John Dorrian of the US Air Force public affairs
stated that "the United States Air Force has deployed F-22s to Southwest
Asia. Such deployments strengthen military-to-military relationships,
promote sovereign and regional security, improve combined tactical air
operations, and enhance interoperability of forces, equipment and
procedures."
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