Last tanker of jet fuel for the UK arrives Thursday. Good luck everyone.

Does anybody else find it ironic that by allowing the USA to attack Iran from our land and bases, we are complicit in our own impoverishment?

Trump is not grateful for the support either.

https://news.sky.com/story/iran-war-...#liveblog-body

Dear President Trump:
As an experienced real estate man you understand the importance of location.

A goodly number of our NATO allies host bases (joint use, or US bases) in their countries which enables our military to carry out a variety of missions all over the world.
That's a part of the benefit of being in NATO: geographical access.

Every time one of our wounded soldiers was flown to Landstuhl, our ally hosting the base where our hospital is contributes to a part of NATO 'being there'





Every time one of our aircraft takes off, refuels, has maintenance done, rearms, or lands in an airbase in one of our NATO allies' countries, a small return on our larger investment is realized.
Yes, when France closes their airspace, or Spain does not support ops from bases in their territory, it's going to be frustrating.

But to declare that NATO has not been there for us is both untrue and unfair.
Being in NATO has never been about "I say jump, you ask how high" - it's been about building consensus and then embarking on a course of action together.
If one doesn't do the first part, it's not right to complain about others not directly participating (in this case in Iran) in the second part.

The nations of the Persian Gulf are trying to convince you to put American boots on the ground in Iran, for their benefit: security.
Israel is encouraging you to conduct military operations in and around Iran for their benefit: security.

None of the NATO nations are encouraging you to do that.
Who are our actual friends?

It was until 1995.
It then embarked on out of area operations, so it isn't solely a defensive alliance.
We've been over this before. Retire that inaccurate sound byte, if you please.

Please provide an example of NATO acting aggressively and not in defence and I'll retract my `sound byte` as you put it.

Should I?
👹😇

Operation Allied Force, 1999.
There, answered, so please hold up your end of the deal.

Tomahawk cruise missile carrier.
Videohttps://web.archive.org/web/20120108...0&tid=300&ct=4

"...Each submarine has the capacity to host up to 66 SOF personnel at a time. Additional berthing was installed in the missile compartment to accommodate the added personnel and other measures have been taken to extend the amount of time that the SOF forces can spend deployed aboard the SSGNs. The two forward most missile tubes were permanently converted to lock-out chambers that allow clandestine insertion and retrieval of SOF personnel. Each lock-out chamber can also accommodate a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS), enhancing the SSGNs' SOF capabilities."

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....232713a801.png
​​​​​​​

And undoubtedly a repeat customer as it has reportedly performed flawlessly.

Another competitor for Patriot and, currently, far shorter delivery times as the US will have to rebuild it's own stocks and existing customers.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....695b367996.png
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6ab2726016.png

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ab95288ca9.png

It's not just the missile (I know that you are aware of that), it's the system which includes radar, C2 functions, and the Early Warning bit in the case of ballistic missiles.
Glad to hear these are working.

​​​​​​​Reportedly so:

If you want cheering up in these grim times take a peak at Fox News's Youtube feed. Absolutely insane! Its no wonder most Republicans support the war if they're watching this guff.

What passes for victory when the White House starts a show seems to have crossed over into the surreal.

Once upon a time, the Straits were open, and Iran was actually talking to the world with some resentment about curtailing their nuclear weapons ambitions. Once the USA had allies. Then, we get to today, where victory has been declared multiple times by the Guy in the White House, "the war was won on the first day"; "the war is not a war, I can't use the word war because that would upset the congress...."; "the excursion was won on the first day..."; "we destroyed all of their airforce..."; "we destroyed their whole navy..."; "we don't really care that shipping is being stopped in the straits..."; "If you dont open up the straits, we will we will invade..."; "we don't care if the straits are blocked, thats everyone else's problems, not ours...".

Heres the thing, control of the Straits of Hormuz arises from the actions that Israel and the US elected to unilaterally undertake. Forget about capping the "dead of state" sequentially, which while there were not on my xmas card list, is still a rather problematic manner of conducting international diplomacy, forget about unilaterally taking action that affected allied nations, and then suggesting that when there is pushback that it doesn't matter about the cheat-up on aisle 13 that is left behind....

Presumably the is the same technique that the incumbent used to bankrupt almost every company he ever owned, including the remarkable feat of bankrupting a casino! Presumably it is the same technique that has been applied to head the USA towards recession once again, with the spectre of stagflation. The winner in this is not currently the majority of US citizens, those that have had the opportunity to manipulate the market certainly have been winning, but then, that seems to be like water off the ducks back, apparently "draining the swamp" has various interpretations. So, very specific individuals in the US are indeed benefitting from the efforts of Kapt'n Kaos and his band of planners. However, Iran is one of the winners here, and should thank the WH for their assistance, they gain complete control of the gulf states, and with the expected next step being the closure of theBab-el-Mandeb and the odd occasional swipe at traffic in the Suez Canal, to assist the concentration of the minds of Saudi Arabia, the figures on the amount of global energy controlled by Teheran will need a bit of an adjustment. Iran and Vlad have been besties for some time, and given the assistance that Vlad has curiously received from his man in the WH, that places Vlad in an extraordinary position, as a consequence of the actions of the WH.

Wondering where the rights to gaudy golden edifices for hotels have been drawn up for.

Walking away with a gratuitous "mission accomplished" when the WH has effectively damaged Saudi, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE and even Oman seems to be impolite, but not without precedent.

I do not wish to see boots on the ground, and lord knows those boots will never be Bibi's, or Donnie's, they would be some poor troops that drank the Kool-aid, but it ain't over just because y'all are approaching a tee off time, nope, what remains is the clean-up on aisle 13, and golly, you need a big pail and mop for that.

Walking away now with reality being replaced by rhetoric brings forward the fate of Taiwan, which should be really worthy of popcorn. China has effectively a near repeat of the strategic conditions that existed with resources at the time that the Japanese considered that there was merit in a visit to Hawaii without the need to clear customs and immigration. The closure of the SoH starts the clock on that, and perhaps that is of zero importance now to the USA, or at least to the WH, who are probably preoccupied with the advance planning for November 3. China has the same existential condition that Japan had, which set off a resource grab to the South including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and more of Vietnam etc, the whole greater co-prosperity sphere thingy. That clock is ticking, thanks.

So, when your dear leader is talking about 20% of global energy, he might need to be corrected, as it isn't; It includes Russia, all of the Middle East, most of SEA at the very least, and that makes about 7.7 Billion individuals out of 8.0 that are going to be displeased. Vlad's xmas came early, giving him a say in the Middle East is the gift that keeps on giving.

Unfortunately, Amazon is not running any sales on popcorn at present, and as the SoH will affect the farmers of the USA, then that is a bit of a shame.

Congratulations on the regime change, the winning and the whining; I hope the fallout will be worth it. The new Ayatollah that is in place as a consequence of his dad, mother, wife, children being turned to pink frothy mush with a hint of meat shouldn't hold any grudges against the USA, surely! TSA, ICE etc can sleep well knowing that their CIC has acted to mitigate the risks to the citizens of the USA as surely that is one of the core imperatives of a leader of a nation, unless it is for grift and self enrichment and self gratification. Nothing new here, Hans Christian Anderson wrote about this almost 200 years ago... The Emperor's New Clothes.

Not even a cuddle after the unprotected sex that the WH has perpetrated on the world. Disappointed.

Moving E3s back into theatre while TACO's mate Vlad is passing on targeting information seems to be ill advised. If I was a crew of any of those aircraft I would be writing a sternly worded letter to my CIC.
Driving A10s back from the bone yard suggests that there is still some common sense remaining in command levels, replacing the F-22 on site with the A10 says a lot, as the replacement for the F-35 is also, an A10. Pretty sure that Qatar might ask for their B748 back, they are being stabbed in the eye by the actions of the one they were "negotiating" with. MBS and Saudi may just feel the same way, they can use their 2.0B under management by the WH's incumbents Son in Law to better purpose given they are being handed over to Iranian hegemony.

It's still March, Xmas seems to be coming early this year for some.

For the record, I have offered capability enhancement to the US DOD, I am not against the USA, I think that invasion of Iran is a terrible idea, however, every other option that exists is far worse. This is the Benni & Taco show, they thought this was a good idea, and I am curious as to what they envisage "winning" to look like. A closed SoH with the whole of the Middle East under the control of Vlad and the rather irritated Ayatollah would seem to not be a brilliant option.

"Go get your own oil" is not a polite exit strategy.

Does that look like an exit hole to you?

Figures. Maybe they are trying to get rid of E-3s

Fair play although in the case of genocide perhaps it's justifiable. I'll remove my post however I still see NATO as primarily defensive.

According to the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO is indeed intended as a defensive organisation. It got involved in Kosovo, that is true, but that decision was made back then under the impression of the recently finished Yugoslavian civil war that came with various genocidal crimes. Srebrenica might ring a bell.

A repeat of this was feared and deemed intolerable, so the NATO countries indeed exceeded the scope of their organisation for a cause they agreed upon as worthy.

The other part of the deleted post saying that NATO was not there to cater for every whim of the US president has noticeably gone unchallenged, so I trust it to be general consensus on here.

So DJT is even more unhappy that (former) allies of the USA, especially the UK, haven’t joined-in with his SMO. Donald - you broke it, you bought it. When I last looked Mr Hegseth, UK had invested heavily in the defence of those countries directly affected. 1000 or so personnel, air defence systems, ships and aircraft and, no doubt, other assets which will not be discussed here. We, also, will remember.

Don't be so quick to give in, this 1999 NATO operation was essentially defensive, humanitarian, and within the originally conceived NATO operating area. The destabilising effects of the Serbian etc actions very much gave it a defensive character. Ditto for all the follow-on missions to this date.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_b..._of_Yugoslavia

Having said that, this 1999 history ought not to be a cornerstone of the technical 'kinetic' aspects of Iran-USA/Israel in 2026 which is where this 'thread' has it's centre of gravity.

……………..

Guess who did the greatest favor for Trump in this escapade:

Iran! By striking civilian targets in the Gulf turning neighborly buddies into enemies now calling on Trump to put US boots on the ground to "finish“ the job:}

​​​Hey, there's plenty US military targets and apologies for rounds falling short would find a degree of acceptance.

While Trump is talking up departing the scene, I suspect that will be delayed until after SF and marines go in guns blazing Iran will be shooting back. There will be losses on both sides.

​​​​​​Bibi will continue mowing the lawn in ever more locations. He has the remote for Trump.
​​​

Any ident on the t/prop aircraft in pic1.of #4581...?

Air Tractor AT-802

Given the President’s continual insults and belittling of the UK and its armed forces, how are things on units with US exchange officers? Has anyone been to a dining in night recently when a toast was proposed to “The president of the USA”. Did anyone stand?

Ref Post No 4595

It could be a S. Korean Hercules C130J

That's what I thought initially, but the wing is wrong, and where's the main gear? Certainly looks like a similar PT6 and prop.

OA-1 Skyraider II. I think

I thought they were retiring the A-10s…

From AI summary:

The USAF keeps on wanting to retire them, but the Senate isn’t convinced and then real world ops get in the way.

​​​​​​​https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2...rement/412254/

No US report of the attack and any casualties. But I wouldn’t expect one until any family have been informed, and perhaps not even then.

Keeping something that really works makes everything else they want, that doesn't work, look bad.

Looks like they uses AI to change the aspect ratio of the image.

Could be the Thrush SP2R 660 based Border Patrol aircraft.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0b3ab8c071.png

If you look closely at #4581 there is what looks like a `bicycle undercarriage/a la U2.`., with maybe outriggers near the wing tips..Not a Thrush.
Thanks DeanO,we did fly together,and I`m going to Specsavers on Friday,to see if they can fix my 35 yr old glasses.....!!

The whole bottom part of the image is an AI hallucination with the nose wheel, outriggers etc and the shadow doesn't match the aircraft plan either.

WAG. Recon varient of the AO-1K

Did you bother reading my post in response to the DJT tweet that ORAC had provided? I was a few miles ahead of the other canine on that one.
Here, let me help you, in part...
I answered the mail on that before it was even asked for.
You are welcome. ;)

They've been consistent.
If we bleed, you bleed.
More of the same.
​​​​​​​If we bleed, you bleed.

Likely one of these:

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...ates_Air_Force

Ayres Thrush United States multirole IOMAX S2R-T660 Archangel 24
Air Tractor AT-802 United States multirole16

Bruce

It seems Italy, France, and Spain have denied overflight rights to U.S. military flights for the Iran conflict.

Just read an an article describing Iran's fiber-optic cable drones which can spool out right across the Hormuz Strait, but US forces would be almost completely untrained and unprepared to counter them in any effective way.