Russian Harassment of US Drones over Syria Drops After F-35s Arrive in the Middle East
Aug. 28, 2023 | By Chris Gordon
After a series of incidents in the skies over Syria, Russian pilots appear to have become less aggressive toward U.S. forces following the arrival of F-35 stealth multirole fighters to the Middle East, according to U.S. officials.
Originally tasked to deter Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Arabian Gulf, the F-35s have added capacity and capability throughout the region.
“We’re flying them in a number of different areas,” a senior U.S. defense official told Air & Space Forces Magazine of the F-35. “We are flying them on missions up in Syria” and around the Arabian Gulf.
Those missions seem to be having an effect on Russian behavior, at least for now.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-35s-russia-backs-off-syria/