U.S. Expands F-35 Deployment Near Venezuela to 20 Aircraft

The United States has deployed additional F-35 fighter jets to an airbase in Puerto Rico.

Photos published by Reuters show F-35A fighters from the U.S. Air National Guard at Roosevelt Roads Air Base, which the United States uses as a forward logistics hub.

These aircraft reinforced the F-35B fighters of the U.S. Marine Corps that had been deployed earlier, increasing the total number of F-35s at the base to 20.

A closer analysis of the images indicates that the jets belong to the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing, as evidenced by the ‘VT’ tail code.

In addition to fighter jets, the United States has recently deployed six MQ-9A Reaper strike and reconnaissance drones to Puerto Rico.

According to Newsweek, the U.S. force posture in the Caribbean includes F-35B fighters, V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and ground units stationed in Puerto Rico.

Naval forces are represented by the destroyers USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson; the cruiser USS Lake Erie; the littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis–Saint Paul; the amphibious ships USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale; as well as the nuclear-powered submarine USS Newport News.

U.S. forces are continuing deployments and reinforcements, expanding bases and equipping them with modern detection and surveillance systems.

U.S. military units are upgrading and restoring the infrastructure of the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, as part of reestablishing their presence there.

Amid the U.S. force deployment, Caracas requested military assistance from Russia, China, and Iran. Shortly afterward, a Russian transport plane Il-76 (registration number RA-78765) was recorded arriving in Venezuela.

The aircraft is operated by the airline Aviacon Zitotrans, which has six transport planes in its fleet. The company is under sanctions by the U.S., Canada, and Ukraine due to its direct links to Russian military structures.

The company has repeatedly supplied military equipment to regions where Russian mercenaries were operating, including fighters from the Wagner Private Military Company.

At the same time, Venezuela is conducting large-scale military exercises. President Nicolás Maduro has mobilized the army and militia as part of the Plan Independencia 200 maneuvers. He emphasized that these measures are aimed at ‘protecting sovereignty’ against possible aggression from the United States.