Pentagon: F-15 pullout from Europe may be on hold

The Pentagon may delay the planned withdrawal of U.S. Air Force F-15C fighter jets from Europe, and possibly increase aircraft rotations to the continent, as part of an effort to reassure allies and boost assistance to the region in the wake of Russia’s recent aggression in Ukraine, officials told members of Congress Wednesday.

In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Pentagon leaders were pressed to provide more details about the White House’s “Europe Reassurance Initiative,” a $1 billion funding plan announced by the White House in June.

The subject of Wednesday’s hearing was the Pentagon’s fiscal 2015 overseas contingency operations budget request for $58.6 billion. Money for the new European mission is part of that request.

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