The United States is mounting one of its most significant airpower buildups in recent years as F-22 Raptors and a wide array of supporting aircraft deploy toward the Middle East, signalling heightened pressure on Iran amid fragile nuclear negotiations and renewed warnings of possible military action.
At least 12 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters departed Langley Air Force Base on February 17, according to open-source flight tracking data and plane spotter reports. Six of the aircraft arrived the same day at RAF Lakenheath, a long-standing transatlantic hub for US fighter deployments to Europe and the Middle East.
Videos circulating on the social media platform X showed the Raptors landing in Suffolk, with aviation enthusiasts documenting tail numbers and refuelling sequences. Another batch of six F-22s was expected to follow on February 18, according to open-source intelligence (OSINT) observers.
“Major fighter movements by the U.S. Air Force towards the Middle East are currently underway,” the OSINT account OSINT Defender posted, noting that three KC-46A Pegasus tankers — callsigns ROMA01/02/03 — were airborne over the northeastern United States supporting the transatlantic transfer.
While US officials have not formally confirmed the final destination of the Raptors, RAF Lakenheath traditionally serves as a staging point before aircraft proceed into the area of responsibility of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations across the Middle East.
The forward movement comes amid intensifying rhetoric between Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face “consequences” if negotiations over its nuclear programme collapse. The second round of talks held in Geneva on February 17 was described by Trump as significant, though he reiterated that military options remain on the table.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by stating that Tehran would not yield to “excessive demands,” particularly those concerning zero uranium enrichment. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian — widely referred to in diplomatic circles as Aragchi in social media posts — said he had arrived in Geneva “with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” but emphasized that submission under threat was not negotiable.
The US has reportedly broadened its negotiation scope beyond nuclear restrictions to include Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and regional activities, raising the possibility of another diplomatic impasse.
The current deployment has drawn comparisons to Operation Midnight Hammer, conducted in June 2025. In that operation, F-22s moved through Lakenheath days before escorting B-2 Spirit bombers tasked with striking hardened Iranian nuclear facilities using bunker-buster munitions.
Then, as now, the Raptors played a crucial escort and air superiority role, clearing corridors through contested airspace and shielding high-value assets from Iranian fighters and surface-to-air missile systems.
The F-22 remains the US Air Force’s premier air superiority platform. Designed for stealth, supercruise, advanced sensor fusion and networked warfare, the aircraft can evade radar detection far more effectively than fourth-generation jets such as the F-15 or F-16.
That stealth edge would be central in any strike scenario against Iran’s layered Integrated Air Defence System (IADS), which includes Russian-supplied S-300 batteries and domestically developed systems like the Bavar-373.
Iran’s IADS combines long-range surveillance radars, mobile missile launchers, and overlapping engagement zones designed to complicate penetration by hostile aircraft. In theory, stealth platforms like the F-22 and F-35 would spearhead Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) and Destruction of Enemy Air Defences (DEAD) missions, neutralizing radar nodes and missile batteries before less stealthy aircraft and bombers enter the battlespace.
The F-22 deployment appears to be just one element of a broader force posture adjustment.
OSINT analysts report that at least 36 F-16 Fighting Falcon jets are transiting toward the Middle East from bases including McEntire Joint National Guard Base in South Carolina, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, and Aviano Air Base in Italy.
Additionally, E-3 airborne early warning aircraft are believed to be preparing for deployment. The E-3 Sentry, often referred to as AWACS, functions as a flying radar and command centre, capable of tracking aircraft and missiles at long range and directing allied fighters in real time.
High-altitude reconnaissance is expected to be provided by at least one U-2 Dragon Lady, which can operate above 70,000 feet and serve as a communications bridge between stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35.
Two dozen F-15E Strike Eagle fighters — nicknamed “bomb trucks” for their heavy payload capacity — are reportedly stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, alongside a dozen F-35A stealth fighters, six EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, and A-10 close air support jets.
Meanwhile, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia is believed to host a dozen F-16s and additional support aircraft. Reports also suggest that 18 F-35As recently departed Lakenheath for Jordan, reinforcing stealth strike capacity.
This mosaic of aircraft suggests preparation for a comprehensive air campaign — not merely symbolic deterrence.
Parallel to the air buildup, the United States is reinforcing its naval presence.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest warship in the world, has been ordered to the region to join the USS Abraham Lincoln. Together, the two carriers would provide overlapping air wings featuring F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II fighters, and EA-18G Growlers.
A seventh Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Pinckney, has also reportedly been dispatched. Destroyers in this class carry advanced Aegis missile defence systems and Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.
Dual-carrier operations offer significant tactical flexibility. One carrier can focus on offensive strike sorties while the other provides defensive counter-air patrols, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), or tanker support. Alternating launch and recovery cycles reduce operational downtime and sustain continuous pressure.
The total number of US personnel in the Middle East has reportedly surpassed 30,000, concentrated at installations such as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, and facilities in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Advanced air defence systems, including the THAAD and Patriot missile batteries, are believed to have been deployed or reinforced at key sites to guard against Iranian ballistic missiles and drone attacks.
This layered defensive posture mirrors — but exceeds in scale — preparations observed ahead of Operation Midnight Hammer in 2025.
Analysts suggest the deployment serves dual purposes: deterrence and preparation.
By visibly assembling stealth fighters, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft, carriers, and missile defences, Washington signals both capability and resolve. The presence of F-22s — a relatively scarce and high-value asset — sends a particularly pointed message.
In previous encounters, Raptors have demonstrated overwhelming superiority over Iranian fighters. In 2013, when an Iranian F-4 Phantom attempted to intercept a US MQ-1 Predator drone over international airspace, two F-22s reportedly shadowed the Iranian jet undetected and warned it off, according to former US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh.
Such episodes underscore the psychological and operational impact of deploying fifth-generation fighters in proximity to Iranian airspace.
However, the risk of escalation remains significant. Tehran has invested heavily in asymmetric capabilities, including drones, cruise missiles, and proxy forces across the region. Any strike on Iranian territory could trigger retaliation against US bases, Gulf allies, or maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Geneva talks represent perhaps the last diplomatic off-ramp before a potential confrontation. Tehran has indicated willingness to scale back aspects of its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief but rejects demands that it characterizes as infringing on sovereign rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Washington, for its part, insists that a broader framework addressing missiles and regional militias is necessary for lasting stability.
The forward deployment of F-22s and associated assets may thus be intended as leverage — a visible reminder of US strike capabilities — rather than an immediate prelude to war.
Yet history shows that force buildups can both deter and destabilize. With stealth fighters poised at RAF Lakenheath, carriers en route, and reconnaissance aircraft already in theatre, the coming days could prove decisive.
Whether the Raptors’ engines ultimately roar over Iranian airspace or remain a symbol of coercive diplomacy will depend on the trajectory of negotiations now unfolding in Geneva.
For now, the Middle East watches as one of the most formidable airpower packages assembled in recent years edges closer to CENTCOM’s frontline.
