Iran
Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 36,137
Likes: 5,738
From: Falling off the end of the thread
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 330
Likes: 136
From: Cluedo
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,687
Likes: 2,030
From: Reading, UK
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1,017
Likes: 1,065
From: Australia
@ artee
Listen colonial chappie, I'll have you know that Lord Hermer is British Attorney General and a Very Important Panjandrum in the UK government. He keeps us all right on international law and was mainly behind the UK's kind donation of the Chagos Islands plus a small donation of Ł35 billion to Mauritius to help smooth out past injustices imposed by England a few centuries back.
It is reported that he is already planning strict measures on every possible woke legal procedure to delay any action whatever. These Iranians had better prepare for him to launch a very strong solicitor's letter warning the Iranians to cease and desist from blocking the Strait of Hormuz under penalty of severe writs being fired in their direction.
Listen colonial chappie, I'll have you know that Lord Hermer is British Attorney General and a Very Important Panjandrum in the UK government. He keeps us all right on international law and was mainly behind the UK's kind donation of the Chagos Islands plus a small donation of Ł35 billion to Mauritius to help smooth out past injustices imposed by England a few centuries back.
It is reported that he is already planning strict measures on every possible woke legal procedure to delay any action whatever. These Iranians had better prepare for him to launch a very strong solicitor's letter warning the Iranians to cease and desist from blocking the Strait of Hormuz under penalty of severe writs being fired in their direction.
Joined: Jul 2013
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 5,672
Likes: 3,314
From: Everett, WA
I doubt the USAF is overly worried about losing a few 65-year-old KC-135s.
The E-3 AWACS is a different story... As k3k3 notes, they don't have many to start with, and IIRC, that $100 million price tag was when they were new (in 1980's money) - replacements will be much, much more.
The E-3 AWACS is a different story... As k3k3 notes, they don't have many to start with, and IIRC, that $100 million price tag was when they were new (in 1980's money) - replacements will be much, much more.
Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 36,137
Likes: 5,738
From: Falling off the end of the thread
It’s what you get when you think you are invulnerable. Just look at the parking.
Worryingly though is taking out Iranian comms has side effects
Overnight, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement apologizing for attacks this past week against neighboring countries, claiming that some attacks were carried out independently by regional commanders without directive due to loss of communication, further stating that the Temporary Leadership Council has ordered a halt to attacks on these countries unless their territory is used to attack Iran.
Worryingly though is taking out Iranian comms has side effects
Overnight, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement apologizing for attacks this past week against neighboring countries, claiming that some attacks were carried out independently by regional commanders without directive due to loss of communication, further stating that the Temporary Leadership Council has ordered a halt to attacks on these countries unless their territory is used to attack Iran.
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 330
Likes: 136
From: Cluedo
Overnight, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement apologizing for attacks this past week against neighboring countries, claiming that some attacks were carried out independently by regional commanders without directive due to loss of communication, further stating that the Temporary Leadership Council has ordered a halt to attacks on these countries unless their territory is used to attack Iran.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 478
Likes: 16
From: Out and about
The entire USAF E-3 fleet is supposed to be retired by the end of the current decade. From reading online there appear to be 15 left in service from a fleet of 31 with the others having already been retired. The E-7 will be the replacement.
Joined: Aug 2013
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 562
From: Washington.
Considering the Air Force's recent lack of enthusiasm for the E-7, I hope they can pull E-3 replacements from the boneyard, or build their own E-2D.
Joined: Jul 2013
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 1,388
Likes: 675
From: Within AM radio broadcast range of downtown Chicago
I might be recalling this in the presumably different context of (iirc) GMTI, Ground Moving Target Identification capability.
The point isn't that the E-3 turned out to be, uh, vulnerable indeed. The previous discussion as I recall it was focused on lack of stealth characteristics.
In any event, if the Warning and Control System capabilities provided by the E-3 AWACS aircraft can actually be provided instead by space systems, one has to wonder to what degree are such space-based capabilities classified? In other words, losing an E-3's capacity might not be so significant but the reason why not isn't available in the public domain.
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,087
Likes: 4,426
From: 3rd Rock, #29B
If you are an inanimate object then you should be very very concerned. In the military, you know you are an inanimate object if you wake up and find that you have been painted white.
Thread Starter
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 24,510
Likes: 7,255
From: Peripatetic
Israeli forces reportedly struck Iran’s Tabriz Petrochemical Plant tonight, setting the facility ablaze.
Thread Starter
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 24,510
Likes: 7,255
From: Peripatetic
I seem to recall that the basis for canceling the E-7 program, which was stated by those favoring cancelation, was that space systems will provide (or already are providing) the capability. Plus, airborne platforms have become too vulnerable, they also said.
I noted previously that they deployed at least 5 x E-2Ds into theatre nearly 2 weeks ago.
Iran
Last edited by ORAC; 30th March 2026 at 07:45.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,687
Likes: 2,030
From: Reading, UK
By all accounts, the E-3s in the boneyard are by now Christmas trees, stripped of most usable parts and rotables to try to mitigate the abysmal serviceability level of the ones still in service.
I don't see that happening.
I don't see that happening.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 373
From: PLanet Earth
Leaving aside the -hmmm, sub- optimum- procedure of merrily parking such an asset open in the sun in a war zone for an extended period of time, one disadvantage of the E3 in current scenarii seems to be that it has problems tracking slow objects with lowish RCS (read: Shahed) due to its PESA Antenna and somewhat raw ground clutter removal logic. E2D with its AESA is reported to be much better at that.
Thread Starter
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 24,510
Likes: 7,255
From: Peripatetic
FT: https://archive.is/20260330014146/ht...b-23b7884031f5
Donald Trump says US could ‘take the oil in Iran’
Donald Trump has said he wants to “take the oil in Iran” and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island, as the US sends thousands of troops to the Middle East.
The US president told the FT in an interview on Sunday that his “preference would be to take the oil”, comparing the potential move to Venezuela where the US intends to control the oil industry “indefinitely” following its capture of strongman leader Nicolás Maduro in January.
The president’s comments come as the US-Israeli war against Iran has thrust the Middle East into crisis and sent the price of oil surging by more than 50 per cent in a month. Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel on Monday morning in Asia, near its highest level since the conflict began.
Trump said: “To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”
Such a move would involve seizing Kharg Island through which most of Iran’s oil is exported.
Trump has been beefing up US forces in the region, with the Pentagon ordering the deployment of 10,000 troops trained to seize and hold land. About 3,500 troops arrived in the region on Friday, including roughly 2,200 Marines. Another 2,200 Marines are en route, while thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to the region.
But an assault on the export hub would be risky, raising the chances of more US casualties and extending the cost and duration of the war.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump told the FT. “It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while.”
Asked about the state of Iranian defence on Kharg Island he said: “I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”.......
Donald Trump has said he wants to “take the oil in Iran” and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island, as the US sends thousands of troops to the Middle East.
The US president told the FT in an interview on Sunday that his “preference would be to take the oil”, comparing the potential move to Venezuela where the US intends to control the oil industry “indefinitely” following its capture of strongman leader Nicolás Maduro in January.
The president’s comments come as the US-Israeli war against Iran has thrust the Middle East into crisis and sent the price of oil surging by more than 50 per cent in a month. Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel on Monday morning in Asia, near its highest level since the conflict began.
Trump said: “To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”
Such a move would involve seizing Kharg Island through which most of Iran’s oil is exported.
Trump has been beefing up US forces in the region, with the Pentagon ordering the deployment of 10,000 troops trained to seize and hold land. About 3,500 troops arrived in the region on Friday, including roughly 2,200 Marines. Another 2,200 Marines are en route, while thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to the region.
But an assault on the export hub would be risky, raising the chances of more US casualties and extending the cost and duration of the war.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump told the FT. “It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while.”
Asked about the state of Iranian defence on Kharg Island he said: “I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”.......
Joined: Apr 2008
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 44
Likes: 98
From: West Country
Ain't taking anything other than casualties.
Strategic genius.
