The United States is planning to invest roughly $214 million in air bases in the European continent to help the bases deter potential Russian aggression; this includes a $13.9 million investment in Estonia’s preeminent military air base.
The investments are being made so that the air bases could temporarily house stealth fighters like the F-22 Raptor and other assets, the Air Force Times reported. It’s an ongoing initiative to deter potential Russian aggression against its neighbours.
According to the newspaper, the Ämari Air Base in Estonia is to receive a $13.9 million investment from the US. The Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia is set to receive a $3.85 million investment.
The biggest chunk of the investment, $67.4 million is to be received by the Sanem Air Base in Luxembourg. The Kecskemet Air Base in Hungary will get a $55.4 million investment.
The fiscal 2018 annual defence legislation authorises the Air Force secretary to purchase land and build installations outside of the United States.
The funds are part of the European Deterrence Initiative that was initiated several months after the Russian annexation of Crimea and subsequent violence in eastern Ukraine, according to the Air Force Times.
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Cover: A US F-35 in Ämari Air Base, Estonia, in 2017 (courtesy of the Estonian Defence Forces).
