The US Air Force has dispatched F-16 fighter jets to the Shemya Island airfield closest to Russia’s borders as part of its training in case of war with Moscow
This was reported by Forbes magazine expert David Axe.
The article informs that since May this year the US Air Force Command has conducted exercises in Alaska. The main objective is to practice landings and take-offs on as many small airfields as possible.
“This exercise was a rehearsal for a full-scale war with Russia. The Air Force expects the Russians to attack large bases with ballistic and cruise missiles in wartime”, – the specialist explained in the article.
Thus, in the event of a conflict, the Air Force can guarantee that at least some aircraft will survive the bombing and be able to fight back.
The author of the text noted that the military base on Shemya Island is in an ideal location to intercept Russian warplanes over the waters of the Bering Sea.
“This island is only 200 miles (322 kilometres) from the Russian coast. No other US airfield, not an aircraft carrier, can place aircraft so close to Russia”, – Forbes stressed.
According to Axe, flying to Shemya is risky because the airfield is remote and pilots will have to battle constant fog and storms.