U.S. F-15C Eagle jets arrive to protect Turkish airspace

The U.S. Air Force has sent six of 12 F-15C Eagle fighter jets to the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to protect Turkish airspace.

The deployment follows a request from the Turkish government to the United States for assistance in October. The Air Force will also soon deploy F-15E jets to assist the country as it battles the Islamic State, Sunni militants also identified as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL.

"It's a request we've honored," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters Tuesday. The deployment reflects "both our commitment to ensure the safety of our NATO ally and our commitment to degrade and ultimately defeat the [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] in Iraq and Syria."

The F-15s will assist Turkish F-16s in air-to-surface attacks against IS targets. Cook adds the United States will also use remotely piloted aircraft, already engaged in the coalition strikes against the Sunni militants that have destabilized large portions of Iraq and Syria and continue to push against the armed forces in Turkey.

The F-15 is a primary fighter jet for the U.S. Air Force. The jet boasts high maneuverability, acceleration, range, avionics and weapons, which include the M-61A1 canon, four AIM-9 Sidewinders, and four AIM-120 AMRAAMs. Other features include an advanced radar, ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation systems and other advanced flight instruments.