U.S. Asks Britain To House B-2s At Island Base In Indian Ocean

Wall Street Journal ^ | September 16, 2002 | Greg Jaffe and David S. Cloud

[robowombat]

WASHINGTON -- Intensifying its preparations for a possible attack on Iraq, the Bush administration is asking Britain to house stealth bombers at an Indian Ocean air base, while Saudi Arabia indicated it may allow bases there to be used against Iraq.

[mhking]

"Here come the planes...
They're American planes,
Made in America.
Smoking?
Or non-smoking..."

[MadIvan]

The Pentagon is asking Britain for permission to build special shelters for as many as six B-2 bombers at its air base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

Feel free and welcome. ;)

Regards, Ivan

Flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory, includes Diego Garcia

Regards, Ivan

[Texas_Jarhead]

I always thought Diego Garcia was under American control. We've got a huge stockpile there (or at least we used to).

[jdub]

I thought Diego Garcia was our island. The British have several in the Seychelles, but DG is American and has been a very long time.

[Severa]

Going this weekend to an airshow at nearby NAS Oceana, VA Beach to see one of these beautiful aircraft.

Nothing like having one of these buzz about 500ft above your head and barely hearing a sound. They make the F14s and F18s of Oceana sound loud in comparison.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The ultimate "no-see-em."

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Diego Garcia is owned by the UK as part of the BIOT.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Basing the planes on Diego Garcia,however, would allow the Pentagon to fly more combat missionswith the planes in the early days of a war, giving the military theability to mount a far-more intense air campaign.

Provided there are enough EA-6Bs to protect the B-2s on their missions. Two Prowlers are required for each "invisible to radar" B-2.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The US Air Force has stationed a lot of young Americans there. We were on a flight a few months ago with about twenty of these lads, who'd been there for six months and were rotating home.

[mhking]

I thought Diego Garcia was our island.

We never owned Diego Garcia; it was always British, but we've always (at least as far as I know) been welcome. DG was an integral staging area for Desert Storm, and IIRC, it was also used pretty extensively for the Afghan invasion last year.

[Valin]

Learn something new everyday. Like others here I just assumed it was an American base. Well that's what happens when you assume.
ass (out of) u (and) me

[jdub]

I thought we even have a naval base there.

[taxcontrol]

An island in the Indian ocean is important enough in my mind to either purchase from another country or to build in International waters.

[Severa]

Has there been any word on what Italy's stance is on the US attacking Iraq? My brother's time in the USAF saw him spending some of that time at Aviano AFB and I was curious if this base would be considered a launching pad.

[tracer]

Whiteman Air Force Base? How could this have been overlooked by the PC hierarchy? ;~)

[tracer]

It has been widely reported that Italy and Spain are solidly in our corner on this....