This story was updated on April 25, 2017, at 9:23 a.m. EST.



WASHINGTON — Two F-35As, accompanied by about 20 supporting airmen, arrived at Ämari Air Base, Estonia, on Tuesday for familiarization training in the region, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe statement.



"The deployment has been planned for some time, has no relations to current events, and was conducted in close coordination with Estonian allies," the statement said. A USAFE spokeswoman confirmed to Defense News that, under current plans, the deployed F-35s will not take part in Baltic-based NATO air-policing missions.



On Monday, the Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported that an undisclosed number of F-35As were heading to the Estonian air base and, after landing, would be in the country for "several weeks" to conduct training flights with aircraft from the U.S. and allied militaries.



A spokesman for the Air Force had previously declined to confirm the deployment or F-35s' movements to Defense News until after the jets landed.



A U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is refueled by a 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker during a flight to Estonia on April 25, 2017. The F-35s are participating in their first-ever flying training deployment to Europe. Photo Credit: Senior Airman Christine Groening/U.S. Air Force

The Air Force’s version of the joint strike fighter is in the throes of its first international training deployment. Eight F-35As from the active-duty 34th Fighter Squadron and Reserve 466th Fighter Squadron have deployed from Hill Air Force Base in Utah to RAF Lakenheath in England since April 15.



The F-35’s trip to Europe is being conducted under the auspices of the European Reassurance Initiative — the Defense Department’s buzzword for a series of exercises and training opportunities with NATO allies meant to signal strength to Russia and improve interoperability.



