WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2015 – Six U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter
aircraft and about 300 personnel arrived yesterday at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey,
to support Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis
said.
The F-16s will begin flying missions against ISIL in the
coming days, the Pentagon press operations chief added.
“The primary strategic benefit of [operating from Turkey] is
that it gives us greater proximity to the targets we need to strike against
ISIL,” he said.
The detachment is from the 31st Fighter Wing based at Aviano
Air Base in Italy, according to a statement from U.S. European Command, and
follows Turkey's decision to host the deployment of U.S. aircraft conducting
counter-ISIL operations.
As members of a more than 60-nation coalition,
the United States and Turkey “are committed to the fight against ISIL in the
pursuit of peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.