US deploys more F-35A stealth fighters toward the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.

Six F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard redeployed from the United States to Europe and onward toward the Middle East on February 9 and 11, 2026, via RAF Lakenheath with KC-135 aerial refueling support.

As reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine on February 11, 2026, six F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard redeployed from the United States to Europe and continued toward the Middle East. The F-35s transited via RAF Lakenheath with KC-135 aerial refueling support as part of an increased U.S. military buildup in the CENTCOM area during indirect talks regarding Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
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As of 2026, more than 1,300 F-35 stealth fighters of all variants have been delivered globally, with the United States planning to procure 2,456 F-35s through 2044. (Picture source: US Air Force)

On February 9 and February 11, 2026, six F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing redeployed from the continental United States to Europe and then continued toward the Middle East as part of a broader U.S. military buildup in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran. The six F-35s departed Burlington Air National Guard Base on February 9 using the callsigns Tabor 41 through Tabor 46, crossed the Atlantic with aerial refueling support, and landed at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. On February 11, the same six F-35As departed RAF Lakenheath at roughly midday local time and proceeded eastward.

During the February 9 transatlantic flight, the six F-35As were supported by three KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft that departed Bangor Air National Guard Base under the callsigns Gold 81, Gold 82, and Gold 83. These tankers provided aerial refueling and subsequently landed at RAF Mildenhall, located near RAF Lakenheath. When the F-35As departed Lakenheath on February 11, they were again accompanied by three KC-135 aircraft that flew over the Mediterranean toward the Middle East. The F-35As carried “VT” tail markings identifying the 158th Fighter Wing, although at least one aircraft had identifying markings partially painted over. U.S. Central Command declined to comment on the February 11 onward movement. RAF Lakenheath hosts F-35A aircraft of the 48th Fighter Wing, but there was no indication that those jets were part of this deployment.

In addition to the six stealth fighters moving through the United Kingdom, six other F-35As from the same Vermont unit were already deployed to Morón Air Base in Spain. Those aircraft had arrived in Europe the previous month after staging through Puerto Rico and stopping in the Portuguese Azores. Earlier in 2026, the 158th Fighter Wing already participated in Operation Absolute Resolve, the U.S. mission to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. An image dated January 3, 2026, referenced an F-35A taxiing following military actions in Venezuela in support of that operation. The Vermont unit is identified as specializing in suppression of enemy air defenses, a mission profile consistent with the F-35A’s sensor suite and internal weapons configuration. The February 2026 movements, therefore, occurred after recent operational use of the F-35A in both Latin America and Middle Eastern strike support roles.

The F-35A was also employed in June 2025 during Operation Midnight Hammer, a strike campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. That operation involved 4,000 personnel and 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit bombers that delivered 12 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs on Fordow and two additional GBU-57 bombs on Natanz. More than 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a U.S. submarine against Isfahan, while another account referenced 14 GBU-57 bombs and submarine-launched Tomahawks against three facilities. In that operation, Air Force F-35As were used to suppress Iranian air defenses and escort the B-2 bombers rather than deliver the heavy penetration munitions themselves. Subsequent U.S. statements assessed that the strikes degraded Iran’s nuclear program by one to two years. In February 2026, Iran stated that some bombs had not detonated and remained at the facilities, which it said affected inspection access.

The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing variant of the F-35 Lightning II family and is operated by the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. It first flew in December 2006 and entered U.S. Air Force service in August 2016. As of 2026, more than 1,300 F-35 aircraft of all variants have been delivered globally, with the United States planning to procure 2,456 aircraft through 2044. Average flyaway cost figures cited for July 2024 indicate $82.5 million per F-35A, excluding the engine, while the F135 engine cost was cited at $20.4 million as of August 2025. The F-35A has an internal 25 mm GAU-22/A cannon with 182 rounds and can carry internal AIM-120 air-to-air missiles and precision-guided munitions, including the B61 Mod 12 nuclear bomb, within two internal weapons bays. Its maximum speed is Mach 1.6, and it is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine.

The F-35A integrates the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar, the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare system, the AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System, and the AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System. These systems enable suppression of enemy air defenses, air interdiction, and strike missions while maintaining a low observable profile through internal carriage of weapons. The F-35A’s design includes diverterless supersonic inlets, canted vertical stabilizers, and radar-absorbent materials to reduce radar cross-section. It carries more than double the internal fuel of an F-16, contributing to an extended combat radius relative to legacy fourth-generation fighters. Software development has progressed through multiple blocks, with Block 3F providing the baseline combat configuration and Block 4 upgrades underway.

The February 2026 F-35A movements occurred within a broader 2026 US military buildup in the Middle East that included three squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagles, one squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcons, and one squadron of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in the Middle East. Twelve F-15E aircraft from RAF Lakenheath were deployed to the region, and one F-15E squadron from Mountain Home Air Force Base had been present for roughly 10 months. Additional Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems were positioned in the theater, and more than 80 to more than 100 C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy flights transported equipment and personnel. HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopters were also deployed to the region. At sea, USS Abraham Lincoln has operated in the U.S. Central Command area since January 26, 2026, after departing San Diego in November 2025 and transiting Guam and the South China Sea, while the Pentagon instructed a second carrier strike group to prepare for possible deployment, with USS George H.W. Bush identified as the most likely vessel. For its part, the Israeli Air Force received three additional F-35I Adir fighter jets at Nevatim Air Base on January 18, 2026, bringing the total number in service to 48 units.

Diplomatic engagement has continued alongside the military buildup. On February 6, U.S. and Iranian representatives held indirect talks in Muscat, Oman, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. The United States has demanded limits on uranium enrichment below 60 percent purity, surrender of approximately 400 kg of enriched uranium, restrictions on ballistic missile development, and an end to support for regional proxy groups, while Iran has stated that its missile program is non-negotiable and that it retains the right to uranium enrichment. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on February 11 that Iran would not yield to excessive demands, as U.S. leadership indicated that failure of negotiations could lead to further military action.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.