NATO plans to increase the number of aircraft taking part in Operation Allied Force to nearly 1,300 is driving the alliance to establish more bases in Hungary, while also shifting assets so that they are closer to the battlefield. NATO says that deployment of additional aircraft is a question of finding room on air bases rather than of aircraft availability.
US Marine Corps BoeingF/A-18 Hornet fighters left the USA for Taszár, Hungary on 20 May, joining eight US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers already deployed to Ferihegy, near Budapest. Additional Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolts committed to Allied Force will also be based in Hungary. Around 800 marine and navy personnel will arrive at Taszár to support the 24 Hornets.
Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR1s - which have been operating from Bruggen, Germany - are deploying to a French air force airfield at Solenzara, Corsica, joining forward based French reconnaissance assets, including two Dassault Mirage F1CRs and two Mirage IVPs. Around 200 RAF personnel will accompany the Tornados.
Basing the 9 Squadron Tornados closer to the scene of conflict avoids having to seek overflight approval for each mission and reduces mission length and fuel needs, allowing the aircraft to carry more munitions. It increases to 12 from eight the number of RAF Tornados committed to the conflict. Two BACVC-10 tankers deployed to Bruggen from Brize Norton in the UK will also move closer to the action, joining two similar aircraft and four Lockheed TriStar tankers at Ankona, Italy.
While HMS Invincible is returning to the UK with her compliment of British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2s, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus, the Royal Navy's helicopter training ship, is deploying to the Adriatic with embarked Westland Sea King helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron.
France is also increasing by 20 the number of aircraft dedicated to Allied Force, but is considering the withdrawal of some of its Mirage 2000 fighters to France - from where they will continue to operate combat air patrol missions - to free space for strike rather than fighter aircraft in Italy.
Turkey - which is home to Operation Northern Watch patrols over northern Iraq - is also to base Allied Force aircraft. The USAF expects to deploy 54 Boeing F-15 Eagles and Lockheed Martin F-16s to Turkey, but they will not arrive until June.
The US Department of Defense has not revealed where they will be based but it will not be Incirlik, already crowded with Northern Watch assets. Turkey is adding 18 aircraft to the NATO force, probably F-16s.
Source: Flight International
