{"id":49884,"date":"2022-03-28T17:02:26","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T17:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/28\/navy-electronic-attack-aircraft-heading-to-germany-amid-ukraine-war\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:16:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:16:52","slug":"navy-electronic-attack-aircraft-heading-to-germany-amid-ukraine-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/03\/28\/navy-electronic-attack-aircraft-heading-to-germany-amid-ukraine-war\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy electronic attack aircraft heading to Germany amid Ukraine war"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With thousands of troops deployed to Europe in response to Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, the Navy is adding to its assets in the region. The Defense Department announced Monday that six EA-18G Growlers<\/a>, with 240 air crew and maintainers<\/a>, will head to Spangdahlem, Germany, as part of 14,000 troops the U.S. has committed to reassure NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The electronic attack aircraft will not be doing any jamming missions, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are not being sent because of some sort of acute threat that was perceived or some specific incident that happened,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are being deployed \u2015 as we have said all along: The secretary wants to keep options open. So, nothing more should be made out of it than a prudent decision to continue to \u2014 as we continue to \u2014 reevaluate our force posture on NATO\u2019s eastern flank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether the jets fly presence missions, as the F-35s deployed to the Baltic countries in late February have done, will be up to U.S. European Command, Kirby said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latest announcement brings the total mobilization of U.S. troops since February to about 11,800.<\/p>\n\n\n\t