U.S. manned aircraft will begin flying Turkey-based missions against the Islamic State within a “matter of days,” a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.
Six F-16s, support equipment and about 300 personnel arrived at Incirlik Air Base on Sunday following an agreement for U.S. assets to fly anti-Islamic State missions out of the Turkish base. Armed U.S. drones conducted the first strikes on terrorist targets last week, the Pentagon said.
The troops and aircraft came from the 31st Fighter Air Wing in Aviano, Italy, a department release said.
Capt. Jeff Davis, Pentagon spokesman, also said that the department expects to put a personnel recovery team at a second base in Turkey, though the location has not yet been decided. He said there is no plan to bring more combat assets to Turkey.
Having access to the Turkish base puts U.S. strike jets closer to targets in Syria and Iraq, shortening the time and distance needed to conduct strikes.
