As of Monday, it was unclear which variant of the Lightning II was being deployed to Puerto Rico, from which base it would operate, or even what its exact mission would be
Last week, a pair of Venezuelan F-16 Fighting Falcons “buzzed” the United States Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA Aegis guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109). In response, the Pentagon will deploy at least 10 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters to Puerto Rico, with the jets expected to arrive in the coming days.
That announcement resulted in Venezuela carrying out a second sortie of the F-16s over one of the US warships deployed to carry out drug interdiction duties in the Caribbean.
What Is the F-35 Doing in Puerto Rico? We Don’t Know Yet
As of Monday, it was unclear which variant of the Lightning II was being deployed to the US territory, from which base it would operate, or even what its exact mission would be. According to Task & Purpose, Muñiz Air National Guard Base, located outside San Juan and home to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, is the island’s largest military airstrip. It would be the most likely candidate to host the fifth-generation stealth fighter and ensure it has adequate operational security during the deployment.
The United States Air Force operates the F-35A, the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) model of the Joint Strike Fighter, while the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B is in service with the United States Marine Corps. Both can operate from military bases in Puerto Rico, but this would be the first time that land-based aircraft, notably those with the advanced strike capabilities of the F-35, have been deployed to operate in the Caribbean as part of the drug interdiction mission.
Nor is a strike mission out of the question. Israeli F-35I Adir, a variant of the F-35A, was part of the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF’s) strikes against Iran’s nuclear and military facilities in June, where the aircraft’s stealth played a key role in neutralizing Iranian air defenses.
However, the F-35 has attributes well beyond its strike capabilities. It could be employed in electronic warfare (EW) or even intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
The F-35 Is a Force Multiplier for Other US Assets
The most significant attribute of the F-35 is its role as a deterrent to Venezuela, helping to prevent an already tense situation from further escalating. The US Navy has deployed multiple warships, including three Aegis guided-missile destroyers, to the waters of the South American nation to combat Latin American drug cartels.
Moreover, last month, Washington placed a bounty of $50 million for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of allying with drug cartels to traffic narcotics like cocaine and fentanyl into the United States. The move was likely made to prompt action within his government.
Last week, the US Navy also carried out an airstrike and sank a boat that it alleged was carrying narcotics from Venezuela. Media reports claimed that the airstrike had killed 11 people on board—suspected to be members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a criminal syndicate that the US State Department had designated a terrorist organization.
Although the US government has not provided evidence that the boat was carrying any drugs, both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense (and recently-renamed “Secretary of War”) Pete Hegseth have defended the actions and vowed that military operations against cartels operating from Venezuela would continue.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
