Ovda:Washington A series of US military cargo flights to Israel is raising speculation about a potential deployment of an additional Patriot air defense battery. This development comes in light of observations from open-source flight-tracking data.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, at least six US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft began a second wave of flights from Biggs Army Airfield in Fort Bliss, Texas, to Ovda Air Base in southern Israel. These flights are carrying air defense equipment and follow eight C-17 flights that arrived at Ovda Air Base last week.

The ongoing airlift operation is expected to total 16 C-17 flights from Biggs to Ovda once the current wave concludes. This substantial scale hints at the possibility of deploying a complete Patriot air defense battery, rather than a smaller contingent known as a minimum engagement package (MEP). An MEP is capable of conducting air and missile defense operations within the CENTCOM area of responsibility in under 96 hours.

Further movements were observed from Biggs Army Airfield, including the departure of a C-17 under the call sign REACH 324 to Gander International Airport in Canada. This suggests another potential deployment of Patriot systems, separate from the previous eight flights to Israel.

In addition to activities involving Israel, open-source flight tracking recorded US military cargo aircraft movements across the Middle East and Europe. C-17 planes stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar have flown to Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases in Germany. Another C-17 traveled from Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, with subsequent departures from Kuwait to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

The US military also withdrew support equipment from RAF Fairford in the UK, dispatching two C-17 aircraft to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and Pease Air National Guard Base in New Hampshire. Additionally, two US Navy flights to Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates were recorded.

While these movements indicate a significant US military airlift operation involving Israel and the broader Middle East, the deployment of a complete Patriot battery has not been independently confirmed.