US orders more firepower into Mediterranean

The US has amassed more than 20 warships in the Mediterranean to counter an unprecedented build-up of Russian maritime firepower

The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman anchored off Split, Croatia, last week. AFP

The US has amassed more than 20 warships in the Mediterranean to counter an unprecedented build-up of Russian maritime firepower.

Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has been told to stay in the Mediterranean “for the foreseeable future” and there are about double the number of warships patrolling the area.

Heightened tension means that any misunderstanding ­between American and Russian warships could have more serious consequences than usual, Admiral Mike Gilday, US chief of naval operations, warned. “Given the current situation, the chance for miscalculation is greater,” he said.

USS Harry S. Truman was ­diverted from its Pacific Ocean ­deployment to the Mediterranean several weeks ago. About a dozen destroyers, including four recently sent from US bases, are operating in the area, alongside at least one cruiser and a nuclear-powered ­attack submarine.

The reinforcements have coincided with a steady increase in US fighter aircraft and bombers in ­Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Germany and Britain. Up to 60 US aircraft have been deployed to provide combat air power to deter Russia from carrying out any hostile missions against NATO allies.

There are sixteen US F-15s carrying out patrols from Lask in Poland, plus eight F-16s at Fetesti in Romania and six F-15s at Amari in Estonia.

America usually has 220 aircraft in Europe, but more of these are now in the allied nations closest to Russia. Much of the Russian air power in the region is in Belarus. Russian fighter aircraft include Su-35S Flankers and Su-25SM Frogfoots.

The Times