Super-Falklands Base in the Gulf

New Wars ^ | 4/8/2010 | April 8, 2010

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Several times I pointed out how the airbase of Mount Pleasant on the British Falklands Islands is so important to the defense of the small South Atlantic Dependency. As such it is an amazingly economical aircraft carrier substitute, with a mere 4 air defense fighters and the potential for many more in a crisis. Andrew Oh-Wilekke, the Washington Park Prophet, would like to see the US build a similar type airbase somewhere in the Gulf, but on a grander scale, to take the place of its shrinking numbers of enormously expensive Big Decks:

There is a very good chance that the U.S. could now secure a permanent Air Force base in the region similar to those in Aviano, Italy or Okinawa, Japan, and will have something like 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future in any case. In the past, this might have been seen as a threat to Iraq or other Arab states. Now, it would be seen merely as a precaution against Iranian military action that would disrupt the oil trade in the Persian Gulf.

It wouldn’t take a very large Air Force base to have superior capabilities to an aircraft carrier, and this kind of base could also be home to the Navy’s land based P-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Some smaller U.S. Navy ships might still remain in the Persian Gulf, but freed of force protection for an aircraft carrier as a primary mission, far fewer navy surface ships would be required.

[USNBandit]

There is a big difference between having an airbase at a possession (your land) and having one in another country (somebody else's land.)

Look at the series of strikes made in the fall of 98 under the Clinton Administration. No tanker support allowed by the Saudis, no offensive air allowed by Kuwait. Basically, tomahawks and no-tanker carrier strikes. A very watered down target list.

You can't count on any of your allies in the Gulf. Get used to it.

[blam]

Iran has the GDP of the state of Alabama but five times the population.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

They may have the same GDP as Alabama, they will have a nuclear bob very soon in addition they are religious fanatics.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Kuwait is a very loyal Gulf ally. We saved them from Saddam Hussein

[Tainan]

And, that pesky ‘no over fly’ ruling by some of our...”allies.”

[TLI]

they will have a nuclear bob very soon

Thats very series.

If they get the bob, it could be hugh.

[GonzoGOP]

especially if nuclear bob has a beeber like object.

But seriously a static base would be a sitting target for ballistic missiles. Iran would bombard the runways to rubble with a volley of conventional missiles, nukes are just fancy overkill. To survive against ballistic missiles you need to be a moving target. The closest thing to a moving island is a Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I am very sorry for the typing error

:)

But if they do get the bomb, they can give it to their proxies Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran will not need a ballistic missile.

[taxcontrol]

Somolia is a wreck, and they have an island that is 15 miles long to the north east of the horn. Work out some kind of legal cover for the US to take over the island. Perhaps even with the UN’s blessing to fight piracy.

[JSteff]

“And, that pesky ‘no over fly’ ruling by some of our...”allies.”

Like France did when we were going to bomb Libya.

Remember? We “accidentally” bombed Frances embassy in Libya!