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Satellite Image Shows First Two B-52 Bombers Have Arrived In Diego Garcia Amid Iran Crisis
thedrive.com ^ | 1/8/2020 | JOSEPH TREVITHICK

Posted on 01/08/2020 6:59:09 PM PST by bitt

New satellite imagery, which The War Zone exclusively obtained from Planet Labs, shows two B-52s at the U.S. air base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where they are out of the reach of Iranian missiles. These are the first of six of the bombers that the U.S. military is deploying to the remote base amid heightened tensions with Iran and now in the wake of unprecedented Iranian missile strikes targeting U.S. forces in Iraq.

The imagery in question is dated today, Jan. 8, 2019 at 11:09AM. The first reports that the U.S. Air Force was sending six B-52s to Diego Garcia on Jan. 6 and plane spotters using online flight tracking software noticed the first two aircraft heading out that same day. At the time of writing, there is no indication that any of the other four bombers have left the United States.

The imagery also shows a number of U.S. ships in the lagoon in the middle of the Island, which belong to one of two Prepositioning Ship Squadrons, part of Military Sealift Command's Maritime Prepositioning Force. These vessels are pre-loaded with various vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and other equipment and are in place in order to be able to help U.S. forces rapidly respond to a crisis.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: b52bombers; diegogarcia
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To: Jamestown1630

They don’t park overseas.


21 posted on 01/08/2020 7:56:44 PM PST by GnuThere
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To: bitt

Need to fix the date—

“The imagery in question is dated today, Jan. 8, 2019 at 11:09AM.”


22 posted on 01/08/2020 8:00:50 PM PST by Cedar
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To: frank ballenger

still wish there were 700 of them in the Air Force...think its below 100 aircraft now... still an amazing power house weapons system...


23 posted on 01/08/2020 8:04:39 PM PST by basalt
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To: al baby

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a21934064/b-52-bombers-pylon-improvement-moab/

A new wing mount would mean the B-52 could carry the Mother of All Bombs, or a lot of smaller ones.

image
By Kyle Mizokami
Jun 25, 2018


24 posted on 01/08/2020 8:09:47 PM PST by waynesa98 (.)
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To: CivilWarBrewing

I’m not sure that’s flying yet; and not sure this one ever ‘flew’ at all :-)

https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/hagelin/b21/index.htm


25 posted on 01/08/2020 8:12:54 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it")
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To: al baby
I dont think the b 52 is moab ready yet.

The B-52 has the bomb lift capacity to carry two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs (30,000 lbs each), but I believe it cannot be configured to carry more than one.

The B-2 can carry two. It's the likely airframe to deliver the MOP.

The MOP is what you want to shake up Iran's uranium centrifuges.

26 posted on 01/08/2020 8:13:03 PM PST by IndispensableDestiny
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To: SanchoP

I don’t think it needs to touch ground.


27 posted on 01/08/2020 8:20:22 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it")
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To: Jamestown1630

Those four structures to the NE of the BUFFs are the climate controlled hangers for B-2s. Maybe they’re there, maybe they’re not.


28 posted on 01/08/2020 8:20:24 PM PST by 75thOVI (Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.)
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To: 75thOVI

They’re stealthy like that.


29 posted on 01/08/2020 8:21:45 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it")
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To: bitt

Thought we always kept buffs on diego.


30 posted on 01/08/2020 8:22:08 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Epstein didn't kill himself.)
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To: bitt

We use to have 3 prepositioned fleets. Each fleet carried enough to equip 25,000 marines and supply them for 30 days. That is how the USMC got so many Marines to the gulf in the first gulf war.

Not sure whats in the two fleets now but I am sure it will allow a bunch of Marines to get there fast.


31 posted on 01/08/2020 8:27:25 PM PST by jimpick
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To: jimpick

But there is no need.


32 posted on 01/08/2020 8:29:44 PM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Jamestown1630

Almost like they were designed that way.


33 posted on 01/08/2020 8:34:46 PM PST by 75thOVI (Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.)
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To: MrEdd

But if there is they are there. Hopefully they won’t be needed.


34 posted on 01/08/2020 8:35:15 PM PST by jimpick
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To: lee martell

Spent some time there in 1980, before it got all touristy.


35 posted on 01/08/2020 8:35:53 PM PST by 75thOVI (Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.)
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To: TigersEye

Even funnier if they normally have 50 of them there and the 2 under repair didn’t deploy. <;^0


36 posted on 01/08/2020 8:37:28 PM PST by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: bitt

I hope these B-52s are fully armed with the latest deep penetrating bunker busters to totally destroy all Iranian facilities dedicated to purifying uranium into
weapons grade plutonium.

This is the best chance we will have to make sure Iran does not achieve a viable nuclear weapon to be used on Israel and the rest of we non Muslim “kaffirs” of the world.


37 posted on 01/08/2020 8:41:38 PM PST by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism)http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obam_the_quintessentia_1.html))
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To: Cvengr

Exactly! I was thinking about cardboard silhouettes they could shuffle around from day to day. Really mess with some heads.


38 posted on 01/08/2020 8:42:19 PM PST by TigersEye (MAGA - 16 more years! - KAG)
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To: jimpick

The idiocy which rejected the concept of punitive wars as a matter of course appears to have been flushed.

There are times and places for wars of occupation, and there are times and places for punitive wars.

After the Mashal plan was implemented the high command seemed to expel every flag officer who could even explain the difference.


39 posted on 01/08/2020 8:44:09 PM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Viking2002

This has to be the funniest thing I’ve seen in months! Thanks a million!


40 posted on 01/08/2020 8:44:42 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie (Guide me, O thou great redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land.)
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