US Deploys F-15 Fighter Jets To Defend Indian Ocean Outpost
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U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jets have been deployed to Diego Garcia to protect its assets on the Indian Ocean island, it has been reported.
A U.S. official told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the aircraft had been sent to the island to provide force protection, without specifying how many planes had been sent. Military online magazine The War Zone said at least four of the aircraft had been sent to protect assets there, which include B-52H bombers.
Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon for comment.
F-15 Eagle fighter jets fly over the race course during the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts.
F-15 Eagle fighter jets fly over the race course during the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts.Why It Matters
Part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia is a strategic operating location for the and U.K. and U.S. militaries. It hosts Space Force operations and is a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and shelters a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron.
TWZ reported the U.S. is stepping up its defense of the island amid a growing threat from Iran and its regional proxies, with Tehran commissioning vessels that can launch ballistic and cruise missiles as well as long-range kamikaze drones.
What To Know
U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters were deployed to Diego Garcia to protect the assets there, CDR Matthew Comer, chief of media and current operations, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs, told the The War Zone.
The website cited an unnamed source as saying a contingent of at least four of the fighter jets had been sent to protect assets, which include B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane and a white-colored airliner.
It said that satellite imagery taken on Friday showed the planes although it was not clear whether they were F-15C/D Eagles, which the U.S. Air Force is steadily retiring, or F-15E Strike Eagles.
An unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers started arriving on the island in March. The aircraft subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, TWZ reported.
While the remoteness of the island was a natural barrier for adversaries, Iran has posed a growing threat in recent years with Tehran demonstrating missile and drone capabilities, including launchers in standard shipping containers.
U.S. Command has paused its military campaign, Operation Rough Rider, against the Iranian-backed Houthis earlier this month.
During the campaign, the Houthis fired on U.S. ships and aircraft and downed at least seven U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones. The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier lost two F/A-18s off its deck and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was also deployed to the region.
What People Are Saying
CDR Matthew Comer, spokesperson for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told The War Zone: "The F-15s are deployed providing force protection."
What Happens Next
There are not many details about the deployment of the F-15s but the U.S. appears to be protecting its military assets on Diego Garcia. After President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would stop its bombing campaign against Houthis, he has left open the possibility of still using force against the Tehran-backed group.
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