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Additional F-15s, F-22s and F-35s are Arriving to Reinforce U.S. Buildup in Middle East

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Additional fighter and CSAR assets are being deployed to multiple bases across the Middle East as preparations for a potential attack on Iran appear to intensify.

The last two days saw another influx of U.S. assets in Europe on their way to the Middle East, where they will join the buildup. In fact, between Feb. 24 and 26, a total of 38 fighters – 12 F-22 Raptors, 14 F-15E Strike Eagles and 12 F-35A Lightning II – arrived at RAF Lakenheath, UK, from where they are expected to move to their final destinations.

Just hours earlier, the first group of F-22s, which arrived at Lakenheath on Feb. 17, departed to the Middle East, and specifically at Ovda Air Base in Israel. Although 12 Raptors left the UK of Feb. 24, only 11 arrived at Ovda, as one had to return to Lakenheath for technical issues.

Latest Arrivals

Coronet missions have been continuously moving fighters from CONUS to Europe, where they are being staged before moving on towards the Middle East. Usually, Coronet East or West missions are ferry flights across the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, respectively, of aircraft which are either deploying to a forward operating base or returning home at the end of a tour of duty, or on delivery to a customer (a non-US air force).

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor prepares to depart RAF Lakenheath on Feb. 24, 2026. (Image credit: Stewart Jack)

These missions are supported by one or more tankers, either flying along with the receivers or launched from overseas bases, that provide the fuel the fighters need to reach their final destination. In the current missions, each cell of six fighters is being accompanied by CONUS-based to halfway across the Atlantic Ocean and then picked up by tankers launched from RAF Mildenhall.

The first ferry mission to arrive in the UK was Coronet East 051, which saw a first group of six F-22s from Joint Base Langley–Eustis arrive on the evening of Feb. 24, followed by six more the next morning. These, once in the Middle East, would bring the total of the Raptors to 24 aircraft.

On Feb. 25, Coronet East (CE) 045 also arrived at Lakenheath, with two F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. It is unclear why only two fighters were part of this ferry cell, as the other flights typically included six fighters.

Another influx of fighters was noted on Feb. 26, with Coronet East 044, 046 and 047. The status of CE 046 is however unclear, as it appears it has yet to leave CONUS and the aircraft it will accompany are unknown.

CE 044 included the deployment of 12 F-15Es from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, which were divided in two cells of six aircraft each. The Strike Eagles were stopped midway at Seymour Johnson AFB before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

CE 047 was involved in the deployment of 12 more fighters, this time F-35As from Hill AFB, Utah, once again divided in two cells of six aircraft each. According to some reports, the F-35s were 14, however this is consistent with the presence of a spare aircraft for each cell, should one had a technical issue and need to be replaced before crossing the ocean.

In these two days, the increased movements of cargo aircraft also continued, with both U.S. Air Force C-17 and C-5 aircraft and “Camber” charter flights under the U.S. Transportation Command. A number of tanker aircraft was also moved from the U.S. to bases in the Middle East.

Completing the required lineup of capabilities in the region, four CV-22 Osprey tiltrotors were deployed from RAF Mildenhall. These arrived to an unknown base in the Middle East after stops in Marseille (France), Naples (Italy) and Souda Bay (Greece).

Earlier this week, six F-16CMs Block 50 were deployed from Misawa Air Base, Japan, to the Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. It is unclear if they will be followed by six more fighters to reach the standard 12 aircraft seen in every deployment.

Potential Strike Scenario?

Over the past several days, this wave of geographically dispersed U.S. military deployments has drawn growing attention from defense analysts and open-source intelligence observers. This appears to be one of the most significant American force postures related to Iran in years, and has already been defined as the largest deployment of U.S. forces in the region since the Gulf War.

Aircraft have been moved to forward positions across the entire Middle East, with most being in Jordan and Israel. Notably, the latest deployments saw a shift from some of the long-standing U.S. bases in the area, such as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, choosing instead bases that were less frequently used by U.S. aircraft.

While U.S. officials have not confirmed that a strike will happen, the scale and composition of these movements appear to point to Washington ensuring credible military options remain on the table as negotiations with Tehran reach a sensitive phase. Tehran has signaled openness to a possible accelerated deal in nuclear talks, although the terms are still highly debated as they reportedly include the dismantling of the entire Iranian nuclear program.

The Broader Posture

The aircraft moving in the last two days join an already large lineup of aircraft in the region, with dozens more aircraft deployed in recent weeks. In addition to the F-22 Raptors now forward-deployed to Israel, the most recent Atlantic crossings saw the arrival of additional F-16CMs Block 52 of the South Carolina Air National Guard, specialized on Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD) and notably equipped with the Angry Kitten electronic warfare pods.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier has crossed into the Mediterranean and, after a stop in Souda Bay, is continuing to sail east. The Navy’s newest carrier would add another layer of strike capability, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) already in the area.

While the most noted movements were related to fighter aircraft, one of the most revealing aspects of the current buildup is the deployment of a large number of the U.S. Air Force’s aging E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). These aircraft are critical for orchestrating complex air operations, such as would be an attack on Iran.

The presence of these aircraft would allow sustained situational awareness and battle management, which are essential parts of any modern combat scenario. Their role however would not be limited to coordinating an attack, but would also be critical to defend against a possible Iranian retaliation.

Historical Parallels

The current posture echoes a previous crisis, the one that led to Operation Midnight Hammer. A big difference in this case is represented by the size of the force that is being assembled in the region.

As we previously reported at The Aviationist, U.S. force posture adjustments in the Middle East have increasingly emphasized networked operations, integrating fighters, ISR assets, and naval aviation into a single operational picture. The same pattern can be noted in the most recent deployments, with many advanced capabilities being deployed in addition to fighters and tankers.

We also previously highlighted how Diego Garcia has re-emerged as a critical hub for bomber and fighter support missions, particularly as access to certain Middle Eastern bases becomes politically sensitive. However, because of this role, the base is considered to be one of the main targets for a possible retaliation.

U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft are maintained on the flightline during a combat deployment at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, April 16, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Anthony Hetlage)

This context helps explain why recent movements appear to be structured around redundancy and geographic dispersion. Also, with controversy related to the UK possibly blocking the use of Diego Garcia, some capabilities might have to be moved to different locations to avoid last-second planning issues.

In June 2025, the arrival of F-22s and additional F-35s represented the last piece to the puzzle, leading to the green light for Midnight Hammer. Multiple media outlets in the region, now that these assets have once again arrived, signal that the strike order might be imminent.

However, at present, there is no public evidence of this order being really imminent. Sure, the infrastructure of capabilities required for such an operation appears to be now in place, making sure all options are ready on the table.


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