F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard‘s 158th Fighter Wing will be heading down to the Caribbean to take part in Operation Southern Spear, a U.S. official told The War Zone. The move would be the latest buildup of U.S. forces in the region for the mission to counter narcotics and pressure Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. You can catch up with our previous story about this operation here.
The official could not say how many, when they will arrive or where they will go, but suggested they will most likely fly to the former Roosevelt Roads U.S. Navy base in Puerto Rico which has served as a staging ground for aviation assets and troops gathered in the region.
As we previously reported, F-35s from the U.S. Marine Corps began arriving at Roosevelt Road in the middle of September. E/A-18G Growler electronic attack jets just arrived there yesterday as well, which is possibly the most glaring sign that the U.S. is preparing for airstrikes as any over the last few months. You can read more about that deployment and its significance here.
On Wednesday, Vermont media outlets reported that wing assets were being prepared for a deployment but didn’t say where.
“Lt. Col. Meghan Smith confirmed to Vermont Public on Wednesday that the 158th Fighter Wing ‘has received a federal mobilization order,” the Vermont Public news outlet reported. “While we can’t discuss specific timelines or locations, our Airmen train continuously to ensure they are fully prepared to support federal and state missions whenever and wherever they are needed,” Smith said in an email.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott told Vermont Public on Wednesday that he did not know where the jets are going.
“Scott said during his weekly media briefing Wednesday that the Pentagon issued the mobilization orders under Title 10, the federal statute that allows the president to place National Guard troops under federal command,” according to the news outlet. “There isn’t much I can share because I don’t know a lot about any of the mission,” Scott said. “Everything from my understanding is coming out of either the National Guard or the Pentagon at this point.”
F-35A deployed to the Caribbean — the first USAF tactical jets to do so — would offer the ability to drop 2,000lb-class guided bombs on targets deep inside Venezuelan airspace. The F-35Bs currently deployed to Puerto Rico are limited to 1,000lb-class weapons. They also have significantly less range and reduced agility. No F-35s are deployed aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, it only carries Super Hornets and the USS Iwo Jima is currently carrying a small contingent of AV-8B+ Harriers.
Taking all this into account, the F-35A deployment is a major signal of what type of operations could be on the horizon.
This is a developing story.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com