The U.S. Air Force is planning to bring in new fighter pilots, air planners, and other reservists to Europe in an effort to support NATO and relieve active-duty troops amid ongoing efforts to deter Russia and aid Ukraine during the war. This move comes in response to President Joe Biden’s executive order on July 13, which authorized the mobilization of up to 3,000 reservists for duty in Europe without increasing the total number of U.S. troops in the region.

U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, Gen. James Hecker, revealed in an exclusive interview with Air Force Times that they have requested assistance for air operations and staff positions at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The plan includes calling up new fighter units to patrol NATO’s borders and conduct joint training exercises with allied nations. Tanker and reconnaissance aircraft may also be tapped for deployment, but the specific airframes and squadrons have not been disclosed.

Hecker anticipates that the reservists will begin arriving in Europe by fall at the earliest, but it may take some time to work through the requests and coordinate with the various military services. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Pentagon has increased its presence in Europe by around 20,000 troops, bringing the total to approximately 100,000 personnel on the continent, the largest since 2005.

Various units across the Air Force’s fighter fleets have been deployed to protect against Russian incursions into NATO airspace, and bomber crews continue to rotate through Europe to deter the use of nuclear weapons. In addition, U.S. and NATO intelligence aircraft routinely patrol the region to monitor friendly and Russian forces’ movements.

Hecker emphasized that the demand for reservists extends beyond the Air Force, with all branches facing high operational tempo due to the ongoing crisis.

Source: With Agencies