BBC Verify: USS Gerald R Ford seen entering Mediterranean as US military build-up continues
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- At RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, UK, at least six US Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jets from Virginia’s 1st Fighter Wing were spotted, alongside multiple F-15s from the 48th Fighter Wing based at the same base, indicating a notable US military presence in Europe.
- The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest and most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has been verified transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, accompanied by destroyers including the USS Mahan, signaling a US naval buildup towards the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.
- BBC Verify has been actively monitoring US military aircraft movements using flight-tracking tools like Flightradar24, noting increased deployments including transport aircraft, aerial refueling
