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Are US aircraft flying from any other European base other than the UK? If not then Starmer's agreement to do so is flawed imo. However the UK is, as far as I am aware, the only European state hosting bombers flying missions into Iran. |
Greek media reporting that the USS Gerald R. Ford will leave the Red Sea and return to port in Crete next week. Seems that the fire may have been arson.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politic...k-sources-say/ Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to return to Crete next week, sources say The American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford which is currently deployed in the Middle East amid the US and Israeli war on Iran is expected to return to NATO’s naval base on Crete next week, Kathimerini understands. The ship will return for refueling, but possibly also for an investigation into the large fire that broke out aboard the vessel on March 12, according to a source. The New York Tines reported that the fire started in the ship’s main laundry area on Thursday. By the time it was over, more than 600 sailors and crew members had lost their beds and have since been bunking down on floors and tables, officials said. The aircraft carrier is now entering its 10th month of deployment, the report said, adding that crew members have been told that their deployment will probably be extended into May, which would put them at an entire year at sea, twice the length of a normal aircraft carrier deployment. Kathimerini understands that one scenario being examined is that the blaze may have been deliberately caused by crew members to terminate their extended mission. The vessel spent four days at the Souda Bay base on Crete last February resupplying, before heading for the eastern Mediterranean. |
HMS Dragon has berthed at Gibraltar, presumably to pick up a full load of weapons and other stores before continuing on to Cyprus.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....caf18cb175.png |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053739)
Are France and others starting to close their airspace to bombing missions?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d501af1cfe.png Updated for B-1 mission numbers Edit: According to Wikipedia, the Bone can only do Max Mach of M1.25. |
Originally Posted by DaveReidUK
(Post 12053637)
The geniuses who designed them should have their heads banged together ...
Originally Posted by AR1
(Post 12053650)
At the time I thought that use of Air Power, was being seen as an option to a negotiated settlement, probably propped up by it's success in GW1. It does make me wonder if it's been oversold again.
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053772)
Greek media reporting that the USS Gerald R. Ford will leave the Red Sea and return to port in Crete next week. Seems that the fire may have been arson.
(Last time I was on a CV that had a major fire on it was over 30 years ago; one fatality, plenty of damage). |
Looks like the overnight attacks on the Basij/IRGC knocked out more than just a few of the leadership....
Around 300 Basij commanders and field officials were killed in a wave of overnight strikes on key command and operational centers of Iran’s Basij forces, Iran International has learned. The strikes appeared to hit the logistics and command structure of a force long used to suppress dissent and confront anti-government protests. In one of the most critical attacks, a Basij support unit’s repair and maintenance center was hit. The site housed hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles used in street operations and neighborhood patrols. Initial reports said the fleet was destroyed. Facilities linked to the Mohammad Rasoulollah Corps, the IRGC unit responsible for the greater Tehran area, were struck. The Imam Hadi security unit, a strategic command center in Tehran, was also heavily damaged. The Imam Ali security battalions, which have played a central role in cracking down on protests, also suffered heavy personnel and equipment losses. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603175489 |
They'll probably have a few of those motorcycles up and running by next week.
When people say "destroyed" in a military targeting context, there is quite often some stuff left over that is usable. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053739)
Are France and others starting to close their airspace to bombing missions?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d501af1cfe.png Updated for B-1 mission numbers Was the same for the F-111 strikes on Libya back in 86, had to go the long way around for same reason. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053774)
HMS Dragon has berthed at Gibraltar, presumably to pick up a full load of weapons and other stores before continuing on to Cyprus.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....caf18cb175.png UK news programmes this morning first thing were stating that Dragon was due to arrive off the coast of Cyprus today after its journey from UK, so if its sitting in Gib, its still 3 or 4 days away from Cyprus from whenever its departure from Gib will be. |
I think there is a lot of unreported damage and pain out there....
High resolution satellite imagery obtained via @SoarAtlas shows extensive damage to Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE following recent Iranian drone and missile strikes. Several American aircraft/drone shelters, hangars, warehouses, and troop barracks were hit, some sustaining heavy damage and others completely destroyed. A hangar used by the UAE Air Force to house Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft has also been confirmed to be severely damaged. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....becb6dfeb6.png https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c66a42afd6.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....96334f37e1.png |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053877)
I think there is a lot of unreported damage and pain out there....
This news just in (haven't seen it so far on the thread), "Top US Counterterrorism official" Joe Kent has resigned in protest at the War, and DJT's handling thereof; https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4g66r3z40o The off-ramp for this episode might just be a Regime Change, but those ousted might not be native Farsi speakers. |
In one of the most critical attacks, a Basij support unit’s repair and maintenance center was hit. The site housed hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles used in street operations and neighborhood patrols. Initial reports said the fleet was destroyed. |
Trump confirms he doesn’t need any help from any other countries, and never did
https://www.independent.co.uk/bullet...-b2940306.html Also confirms that Irans Military has been decimated. Thank goodness for that. Hopefully this war will be over in super quick time now then |
Reference the attack on Al Dhafra:
Reports claim UAE has lost a Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft, one of its most advanced and expensive surveillance platforms (valued at ~$400-500M each) destroyed by an Iranian kamikaze drone strike at Al Dhafra Air Base. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12053948)
Reference the attack on Al Dhafra:
That's one 1.5 Billion radar installation, 3 x F15's. 1 x KC Tanker and now an AWACS. That's a lot of dollars. Drones are going to kill us. Putin might be our saviour as they have inadvertently trained Ukraine how use and deal with them. |
Can warships survive a transit through the Strait? Doesn't look like anyone thinks so, what with air and sea born drones, speedboats and missiles just off the coast. Especially as the latest NATO exercises with Ukraine they were able to sink some of our ships.
The Strait makes a good `kill zone` for the unwary. |
Damn sneaky move, who would have thought that they would try such a thing? :rolleyes:
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We need a tote board of friendly losses. Not to gloat but to demonstrate to Trump what a folly this war is. That's one 1.5 Billion radar installation, 3 x F15's. 1 x KC Tanker and now an AWACS. That's a lot of dollars. Drones are going to kill us. Putin might be our saviour as they have inadvertently trained Ukraine how use and deal with them. That's just off the top of my head. |
Originally Posted by Professor Plum
(Post 12053946)
Trump confirms he doesn’t need any help from any other countries, and never did
https://www.independent.co.uk/bullet...-b2940306.html Also confirms that Irans Military has been decimated. Thank goodness for that. Hopefully this war will be over in super quick time now then Will someone please explain decimated to Donald? |
Pity the RN Captain that after being committed to defending the Strait peers out across his bridge to find America has gone home.
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