Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: areafiftyone
I know I don't really have a need to know, but I can't help wondering why the B-52's would be based in England. They could make it to Iraq from there, but they'd have to have overflight clearance from uncooperative countries (i.e. Germany and France). Any other route would be a zigzag.

Maybe they are there for other purposes.
25 posted on 03/03/2003 10:08:36 AM PST by Cap Huff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Cap Huff
Maybe they are there for other purposes.

At the rate things are going, bombing runs on Paris and Berlin may soon be in order. . .

28 posted on 03/03/2003 10:14:11 AM PST by Stefan Stackhouse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: Cap Huff
Logistics. B-52s have been operating out of RAF Fairford for DECADES: we deployed there with my old squadron (the long-since-deactivated 69 BMS) back in the 1980s. The runway is long enough and has sufficient weight capability for heavy B-52 ops. "Heavies" (i.e. B-52/ C-5/ C-17/ KC-10) need far more robust runways than do fighters or other smaller aircraft. It's a simple matter of civil engineering.

Also, it's VISIBLE. There's the psychological effect of American B-52s deploying forward. Even if the REAL raids come out of places like Diego Garcia, with no media presence, no civilian protesters, etc. . .

That's the unclassified, common-sense answers, anyway. . .
30 posted on 03/03/2003 10:17:15 AM PST by Salgak (don't mind me: the orbital mind control lasers are making me write this. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: Cap Huff
They fly the Med, I'd bet. The biggest problem is ordnace logistics - they take quite a load. Alot of that is prepositioned in the UK. SOme will no doubt be stationed in Diego Garcia. Note that the DoD has been pretty cagey about announcing heavy bomber assignments. We really do not know what's up.
31 posted on 03/03/2003 10:21:42 AM PST by CasearianDaoist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: Cap Huff
One possible route - Denmark, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, out into the Black Sea and then into Turkey and into the Northern No Fly Zone. Either deploying ALCMs for targets below the NFZ or deploying the likes of JDAMs.

55 posted on 03/03/2003 12:23:05 PM PST by Tommyjo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: Cap Huff
yup... maybe.

The bear is being warned I suspect.
76 posted on 03/03/2003 4:28:01 PM PST by Robert_Paulson2 (Mr. 29a... needs to be convicted)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson