Syria: air attacks loom as Britain and US pledge to use force within two weeks

What they could also be awaiting for is extra hardware not to carry out a strike-the ability to do that is already there, but extra stuff in case things get out of control.

reply to post by Maya00a


Its unlikely any of those will play a part. None of them have a stand off land attack capability.

Whatever SSN we have in the region will no doubt use up its Tomahawks.

I agree. This is going to be Tomahawk diplomacy. Nothing else will be used unless Syria does something stupid like try to gas Israel. Then things may go a little haywire.

Originally posted by justwokeup
reply to post by Maya00a

 

Its unlikely any of those will play a part. None of them have a stand off land attack capability.

Whatever SSN we have in the region will no doubt use up its Tomahawks.

Originally posted by princeofpeace
Over dramatize much? This wont be anything at all. Lob a few missiles at the most. Not even anything like what was done in Libya.

Originally posted by derfreebie

Originally posted by Kali74
Does anyone else feel like this is a personal last straw, like something inside you is going to break? Anyone else feel like the whole world is feeling the same way? This feels so much different than Libya... maybe I'm just having a panic attack, VMA's are trending higher on twitter than #Syria.

Thank you Kali... a much deserved star for your pensive thoughts. This IS
the last straw, and the PTB know our awareness of them has focused to
the point we may need culling in order to be controlled.
This is no panic attack, don't let them fool you. This is our awareness of their
totally evil last act about to play out. They can't stop now, because all the
marbles are out of the bag... and if they lose it's more than their marbles.

With Libya there was a lot of oil production... in Syria there's a lot more
logistical control of the oil at stake, and Russia/China know it. For the sake
of unverified claims (so far) of who pulled the gas cans out, lobbing big missles
and other assets in without the UN stamp isn't going to play well if the smoke
clears anytime. This has the potential for turning into a real mess everywhere.
I want to be wrong this time, prince... especially about this gut feeling from
Zaphod telling us about a Russian sub pack parked in the alley...ASW
upgrades or not. Finally the last time I saw one of our cruise missles go in,
it was a mighty big bang and lava lamp stuffing for a conventional party favor.
Could be a trend, just sayin'.

Originally posted by Maya00a

HMS Bulwark, HMS Illustrious, HMS Montrose and HMS Westminster.

A nice little flotilia there.

Would likley be carrying some Royal Marines and Specieal forces too as the HMS Bulwark, HMS Illustrious are what you would put them in.

The Guardian are jumping up and down about British Warplanes arriving in Akrotiri, Cyprus. Do they ever do any research? This is the Summer Camp deployment of the Eurofighter training squadron from RAF Coningsby, England. A small number of Hawk trainers are also deployed to support the training camp. This training camp is routine and has been planned long before the current events in Cyprus. It show how a routine training deployment sighting can be misinterpreted when the journalists don't check before publishing.

www.theguardian.com...

29 (Reserve) Squadron deploy on summer training

As part of routine annual summer exercises, 10 Typhoon aircraft, pilots, and supporting engineers from 29 (Reserve) Squadron at RAF Coningsby will shortly deploy to Akrotiri in Cyprus on exercise, continuing the long tradition of RAF personnel taking advantage of the training facilities and the almost guaranteed good weather that the base offers.

The primary role of 29(R) Squadron is to train pilots from other aircraft types to fly and operate the Typhoon. During training the pilots will undertake a variety of missions, giving them the skills they need to fully utilise the world beating capability of the multi-role Typhoon aircraft.The students come form a range of backgrounds from those who have just completed pilot training to officers of 15 years experience about to take over a Squadron. The majority of personnel will be from 29(R) Squadron. A small number of personnel from other units will be deployed in support of the exercise including Hawk aircraft from 100 Squadron.

Sqn Leader Rowena Frewin, Officer Commanding Mission Support Flight, 29 Squadron, said:

“Overseas deployments for the Operational Conversion Unit are a key part of training – allowing pilots to fly in an unfamiliar environment. Primarily it’s a great opportunity to take people out of their comfort zone and allow them to test themselves against new situations and give our engineers and pilots practice and experience in the kind of issues that arise when deployed on operations”.

The squadron and their Typhoon aircraft are due to be in Cyprus for approximately three weeks.

www.raf.mod.uk...

Originally posted by crazyewok

Originally posted by Maya00a

HMS Bulwark, HMS Illustrious, HMS Montrose and HMS Westminster.

A nice little flotilia there.

Would likley be carrying some Royal Marines and Specieal forces too as the HMS Bulwark, HMS Illustrious are what you would put them in.

edit on 26-8-2013 by crazyewok because: (no reason given)

Although the prospect isn't happy, Marines of a feather may land together.
Off must I be to top off more milk jugs with water not yet glowin'.

Originally posted by Senduko
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

Last time I checked, Russia has stationed a few nuclear subs at Cyprus. And Cyprus and Syria are very close to each other.

This is getting very messy.

Russia has not stationed nuclear subs in Cyprus. Russian ships have visited and refuelled in Cypriot ports and also conducted good will visits. There have been no stationing of military assets by the Russians in Cyprus.

famagusta-gazette.com...

reply to post by justwokeup


With Syrian defenses being what they are, I suspect we'll see a number of SEAD missions prior to the Tomahawks.

Just for a change of pace, check out the most bizarre story i have found so far involving Syria...

Syria's little flying man

Idlib police monitor a ‘space object’ that has entered the atmosphere of Deir Simbel and headed towards Kafr Nabil
120cm tall wearing black clothes and a helmet
A space object, that resembles a human, has entered the atmosphere of the Deir Simbel village, located about 35 kilometres from Idlib and halfway between Jericho and Ma’arrat Naman, where it was flying at a speed approximately 40 kmph.
Syria News obtained a copy of a dispatch from Idlib Police Headquarters to the Department of Operations (Criminal Inspection). It cited witnessed who reported seeing a ‘space object’ spinning and hovering in the village sky, coming from the atmosphere of Sarjeh and then heading towards Ahsem and from there to Kafr Nabil. They said that is was rising and falling above the olive and fig trees.
According to the dispatch, the eyewitnesses completed their description of the ‘space object’ by saying that it was about 125cm long and 40cm wide, it was wearing black clothes and had a red spot on its chest and a helmet on its head. There was a bulge on its chest and back which suggested the presence of a device to help it fly. They pointed out that it was “moving itself in spirals, bending its feet and raising its arms and they did not hear the sound of any torpedo or mechanical engine”.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by justwokeup

 

With Syrian defenses being what they are, I suspect we'll see a number of SEAD missions prior to the Tomahawks.

Agreed. I don't see anybody other than the USA doing that job.

reply to post by justwokeup


If you know where to look, no I'm not telling, you'll be amazed at the number of platforms the US has in the area already. Enough to do a number on Syrian defenses.

reply to post by HappyWarrior

reply to post by tommyjo


Funny you should mention cypress...

Yesterday I got a call from one of my old supervisors and boom buddies at McConnell AFB. He said they got a call to go into crew rest and deploy in 12 hours. The recall roster was used in this I'm told (=serious #). Late last night, early this morning tankers started launching out of mcconnell using a reach call sign, which is standard for deployments. The difference was there were 18 tankers launched, all within a few hours, headed supposedly for cypress.

The only reason I'm saying this now is I've been told the tankers have landed at cypress already. Of particular interest, six of those tankers belong to the 22nd Ops Group SOAR (special ops air refueling), meaning that most likely gun ships (spectre) are in the plans. Now if you follow your history at all, you can track every invasion since Vietnam by when the tanker force deploys: no tankers, no fighters. Also to note, and I haven't heard yet, if tankers go to goose bay, Canada, look for the b-2's to start bombing runs from whiteman. In the UK pay particular interest to mildenhall RAF and their tanker force, as in the air bridge being set up across the Atlantic (unlikely considering all the air power in the region, unless the F-22 force decides to add to its current supply of six aircraft in the gulf).

Zaphods sources and mine seem to be correct so far so we will see what happens. I'm with him when he says that were about to see Syria get the crap bombed out of them for this mess, and Russia will stick its tail between its legs and get their bluff called.

reply to post by boomer135


What makes me nervous as hell is that with all the tankers already in the Europe/ME area, why McConnell? What else is going on that they had to tap a CONUS unit to add to what's there?

reply to post by justwokeup


Indeed, that's just a small helo carrier and it's escorts - although as stated by others it is probably got a company of Marines on board..

Now, if we have some Trafalgar's or Astute's in theatre, we might throw some tomahawks but I suspect 95% of all ordnance used in any attack would be American, with token support from the UK and France.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Well right now they are the "home" base, as almost every other base has deployed assets somewhere. Not to mention they are the only base with the SOAR capabilities.

reply to post by boomer135


I can see tapping the SOAR birds, but why the other twelve? Between Mildenhall and the other bases that shall remain nameless, there are already a lot of tankers in the area, as well as places to land and refuel if necessary. Why add more?

Zaphod58
reply to post by boomer135

 

I can see tapping the SOAR birds, but why the other twelve? Between Mildenhall and the other bases that shall remain nameless, there are already a lot of tankers in the area, as well as places to land and refuel if necessary. Why add more?

Well mildenhall's role as a tranker base is really not to deploy forces, with the exception of Libya. They are strategically placed where they are because of the air bridge to America. So yes they could fly missions for a campaign against Syria, but not likely. The tankers you speak of down range are still supporting caps in Afghanistan. As well as the Kyrgyzstan tankers. I'm guessing Diego probably forward deployed to downrange bases like at the start of OIF and the McConnell birds went to cypress, as someone already suggested, in case something goes wrong.

Well it's a holiday week here in the US. 4 Day week this and next so it's going be a little over 2 weeks. Can't screw up peoples holidays especially the big guys. Is it safer in Syria or Chicago HUMMM