PPRuNe Forums

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- Military Aviation (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation-57/)

- - Iran (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/586655-iran.html)

If only he would they same thing about Russia over Ukraine.

Quote:

Asked on American television about reports that Iran was seeking new talks through intermediaries, Trump said: “I’m not surprised. I mean, they want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the US along…

“They want to continue to create existential threats against Israel while they’re talking. That’s not going to happen.”

Two tankers collided and on fire in the Straits of Hormuz.

Heavy jamming has denied GPS and other guidance systems for several days and ships are having to navigate visually or by alternate means

Quote:

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/19...046272750?s=61

Quote:

Photos are currently circulating which appear to show three ships on fire off the coast of Iran in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz.

NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) Map appearing to confirm three fires in the Gulf of Oman…..

It appears that the fires seen off the coast of Iran in the Gulf of Oman may have been caused by the collision of two oil tankers, the Antigua Barbuda-flagged ADALYNN and the Liberian-flagged FRONT EAGLE.

Though ship tracking suggests this likely happened over three hours ago, which does not explain why there had been no reports until the picture showing the fires and the statement by Ambrey.

Quote:

Grok:

Details on the Gulf of Oman tanker collision are still emerging. Reports suggest the tankers ADALYNN and FRONT EAGLE collided around 2114 UTC, with a fire detected shortly after. The delay in reporting could stem from communication issues in the remote area, though some speculate other causes without clear evidence.

FRONT EAGLE is likely owned by Frontline Ltd., but ADALYNN's ownership is unclear.

No official statements confirm the incident's cause or extent, and past regional tensions raise questions about alternative explanations, but nothing is verified yet. More information is needed for clarity.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f5b4689863.png

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fae261f514.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....35335e51c1.png

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif…….. 👀👀

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....cd11ccacd0.png

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09 (Post 11903871)

President Trump has warned that Tehran should be evacuated immediately. Possibly because there might be fallout from a conventional attack by B-2A on Natanz nuclear facility which is only 200 miles from Tehran.

Also, 12 x F-35A and / or F-22A believed to be arriving in CENTCOM AOR with 48 hours.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GtmbBZAa...pg&name=medium

History of regime change from long range strikes is not brilliant. Plays well for home audience though. Absent boots on the ground, strikes against nukulaaaar weapons programs infrastructure seem to have a dismal record of effectiveness. Plays well for home audience though.

Chance of asymmetric responses seem to elevate after re-arranging rubble in the kitty litter.

I am seeing that there are still B2s at Diego Garcia. Is that correct? I thought they had all returned stateside?

The answer is probably "unknown".

This article offers some information re USAF assets at DG.

Elsewhere there was mention of the fact that B-2's do not do well parked out in the open due to the special skin covering being sensitive to such exposure. That is why there are four B-2 Shelters (unless more have been built) at DG.

If Six or Seven B-2's were at DG in April/May along with B-52's and F-15's.....with the current tensions and hostilities between Israel and Iran one would think there would be good reasons to maintain such a posture as was taken in that time frame.

The B-2's based in the United States have flown combat missions in the area around Iran in the past as have B-52's so DG is just a secondary location for them.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ai...-garcia-b-52s/

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/b-...-diego-garcia/

B2s have to be re-painted under cover after every long flight, at least that's the reason they gave for not landing one at Farnborough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chock Puller (Post 11904209)

Interesting - thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hangarless (Post 11903891)

Lindsay Graham saying tonight that it looks like we're moving to force and that we should give Israel whatever it wants in order to remove any nuclear threat which would suggest negotiating time is over.

Senator Graham might want to look up the term 'blowback.' There was a joint declaration/statement issued this morning by the governments of all of the Arab Muslim nations condemning Israel's continued attack, and calling for a return to negotiations.
While it is possibly a case of 'jaw jaw' only, I think that they are getting uncomfortable at the ease with which Israel is undressing a major regional power.
There but for the grace of Allah go I ... could be running through the minds of various leaders in the Gulf States.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MechEngr (Post 11903923)

Would an interceptor missile/ SAM be able to sufficiently damage the expected bunker-buster weapon that Trump is apparently waving the flag about dropping on the Natanz nuclear facility? AFAIK the B-2 won't be completely stealthy when the doors open and isn't going to be very stealthy with an external store; that should give the defense a bit of time when all of a sudden a target appears without any previous track. Radar should be able to track the bomb, but it certainly should be visible in the far IR against the sky.

With a coherent Integrated Air Defense System in place, yes. Trouble is, the Israelis have dismantled a goodly portion of that air defense system, are now flying aircraft over Iran dropping bombs, and as stated in one of the articles further up have created a breach in the Air Defense of Iran.

Quote:

“Over the past 24 hours, we completed an aerial route to Tehran and conducted an aerial breaching battle,” said Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israeli Chief of General Staff. “IAF pilots are flying at great risk to their lives, hundreds of kilometres away from Israel, striking hundreds of different targets with precision.”

With Iran’s air defences largely disabled, older Israeli aircraft like the F-15 and F-16 have joined the fight. These now deploy short-range JDAM and Spice-guided bombs—cheap, widely available, and deadly.

For that brief indiscretion by the B-2 as it gets to weapons release, which you mentioned, there might not be anyone to 'see' that on radar.

On an amusing note from the Hindustan Times:

Quote:

Israel claimed to have destroyed two Iranian F-14 fighter jets at Tehran’s airport, releasing footage of the strike. However, Iran countered that the jets were actually decoys, suggesting Israel was misled by a “fake planes” ploy. The incident comes amid intense missile and drone exchanges between the two countries, with both sides escalating operations and targeting military assets and infrastructure.

I guess Topgun 3: The Last of the Tomcats is still a possibility. :E

Quote:

Originally Posted by ORAC (Post 11903959)

Two tankers collided and on fire in the Straits of Hormuz.

Heavy jamming has denied GPS and other guidance systems for several days and ships are having to navigate visually or by alternate means

Children of the Magenta Line, Maritime Edition. :p

Different assessments

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/06/17/p...nce-years-away

The US seems to think differently to Netanyahu.

BV

Everyone seems to think that as soon as the word "intelligence" is used the subsequent information must be gospel - which is of course wrong.

I once sat through a brief where a young intelligence officer was virtually wetting himself as he put up satellite image after image which he said "proved" Iraq had WMDs. We know how accurate that turned out to be.

Once someone starts to look for evidence to support a particular theory they are no longer an unbiased or dispassionate observer, and "facts" can usually be found to support an incorrect hypothesis.

You’re absolutely right. So somebody got it wrong.

BV

I think the USA are possibly going to go in, you do not move assets like that to a region for nothing.

The US has moved another carrier task force to the region.

Military Moves Ships, Aircraft to Middle East as Senator Seeks to Stop US Action Against Iran | Military.com

dozens of aerial tankers have arrived in Europe.

Tankers Deploy to Europe as US Weighs Options in Israel-Iran War

[Updated] Sudden Deployment of Dozens of U.S. Air Force Tankers Raises Questions - The Aviationist

F22 and F35 are being deployed to the region

[Updated] U.S. Air Force Mobilizes F-22s and F-35s as Situation in Middle East Escalates - The Aviationist

Quote:

Originally Posted by NutLoose (Post 11904329)

The feeling amongst some this morning is that the US is sending a large force into the region is a negotiating tactic both to Iran and possibly also send a message to Vlad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hangarless (Post 11904351)

The feeling amongst some this morning is that the US is sending a large force into the region is a negotiating tactic both to Iran and possibly also send a message to Vlad.

Why, what is Vlad rumoured to be planning? Offering Iran a free nuke?

Quote:

Originally Posted by NutLoose (Post 11904329)

Guessing the tanker assets are already supporting Israel (has this been confirmed?), and the fighters provide an element of deniability for this - along with a Plan B if the US do decide to directly participate.

Multiple KC-46A, KC-135R and KC-135T left RAF Mildenhall, Aviano AB and Ramstein AB heading for the CENTCOM AOR today with 12 x F-35A from 48th FW RAF Lakenheath and 12 x F-16CG from 31st FW Aviano AB. [source multiple spotters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09 (Post 11904421)

On top of these the USS Nimitz carrier group is also on its way to the area.

In all the US is moving big firepower into the region.

If Iran is not able to defend itself and close to total collapse why does it need so many assets to be in place?

Is there something else that US Intelligence is concerned about?

Lots of military talking heads have their views often conflicting in their opinions.

It would be interesting to know what the true picture is.

The US military greatly prefers to have more assets than needed on hand rather than the other way round.

In 1958, the Einsenhower administration sent three aircraft carriers and lots of other assets to operation Blue Bat. This was an operation to support the Lebanese government, so it did not face anything like a near-peer adversary.

I am, like everyone else, following the news and, beyond the claims of Israel's ‘total air superiority’ over Iran, my question is what is the IRIAF doing at the moment?

The Israelis seem to be operating with not-so-long-range stand-off weapons, which makes it possible for them to be attacked over Iranian territory.

What happened? Does anyone know?