B52's Leaving Fairford United Kingdom

Stratfor ^ | March 18, 2003 | Staff

[richardtavor]

http://www.stratfor.com/promo/?site=usiraq =================================================================

At 1808 GMT (1:08 p.m. EST, 9:08 p.m. Baghdad) B-52 bombers were reported taking off from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. Flying time to Iraq is about six hours. Earlier today, they were reportedly loaded with cruise missiles. The British press has also reported that skirmishing has commenced between Iraqi troops and U.S. and British special operations forces near Basra. Coalition aircraft also have attacked 10 Iraqi artillery pieces in the southern no-fly zone, and Israelis have been ordered to open and fit their gas masks, keeping them nearby at all times.

War has not yet commenced, but this is a war alert. More information will be forthcoming as it is available.

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[We Happy Few]

Saddam better have a car as big as a whale that's just about to set sail.

[Magnum44]

I would think that they would launch in waves in order to maintain a presence on station, like in the good old days of the Cold War

The Buffs will fly high and want to arrive AFTER the first waves of Stealth Bombers and cruise missiles have reduced Iraqi IADS Command and Control to rubble.

If you believe GWB will be prompt, and I do, then I would expect lots of fireworks downtown in Bagdad at 4am Bagdad time followed by Buffs at ~5am. It will be non-stop throughout the day, but slow, high value assets like B-52's and B-2's will probably shelter until tomorrows nightfall incase the Iraqi's still have any SAMs remaining. Lower threat at night. Daytime bombing will continue with tactical assets.

But the first three hours will be everything we can fly in the most intense bombardment as ever been seen. During DS 91' there was on average one aircraft on bombing runs over Bagdad every twenty seconds for over three hours, and yes, every single one was scripted down to the second. A choreographers ultimate headache, and Saddams worst nightmare.

Grandpa, you wanted a ping when things got hot...:^)

[colette_g]

It wouldn't surprise me at all - it has been dark in the UK for over 3 hours, and it struck me as strange that, considering both BBC News and Sky News have teams there that all the video reports I have seen (up until about half hour ago) seemed to have been filmed while still light. I may be reading something into nothing, but I bet you could get quite a few B-52's out during a few hours of voluntary media blackout....

[PhiKapMom]

OR the tape is looping around. I have seen the same picture of a Tanker getting ready to taxi out to take off live from Incirlik AB for hours.

Video on MSNBC of latest air attack! F-117's, F-15E's

[The Wizard]

is it a live report or an earlier taped piece

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for your insight and sharing it with us.

Please ping me when you make a reply.

[Constitution Day]

I think Carolina was watching it live on BBC America.

[Carolina]

They keep showing a tight shoulder shot of the reporter so you can't really see anything in the background save for some indiscernible lights.

[PhiKapMom]

I see the words Live on video all the time that is obviously a tape that keeps running!

Every afternoon MSNBC always has reports from all over the Gulf including the HQ from Camp Dohar and there has been nothing for sometime!

The pictures they are showing are obviously taped since they are going to show Arnott with the Marines and it is daytime!

[Dog Gone]

Oh yes we do have overfly permission.

We do NOT have overfly permission over Turkey yet. The stories you have been reading are that the Turkish cabinet will submit it to parliament tomorrow.

If parliament passes it, then we will have permission, but that doesn't do any good for tonight.

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for the info!

[colette_g]

Which stream are you watching ? I'd be happy to confirm if what you see on the stream is the same as being transmitted in the UK - the BBC News stream seemed to be the same (if a few minutes out) earlier on. Both BBC News and Sky News have shown a few reports that I've seen a number of times earlier on today.

[PhiKapMom]

According to MSNBC just now there will no overfly permission from Turkey until early in the morning Turkish time.

[We Happy Few]

Which is closer to Iraq--England or Diego Garcia?

What is the flying time from Diego Garcia?

[Solson]

I resemble that remark.

Best Regards,

Cliff Claven

[Air Force Born]

May not be an expert, but doesn't it feel good to pretend? Oh, and after 27 years in medicine, 'squat' is one thing I DO know.

[scubadan]

Thanks...that's the only live video feed I've been able to find.

[SamAdams76]

As the crow flies (and that would be one tired crow), it is about 300 miles shorter to fly from England to Iraq than it is to fly from Diego Garcia to Iraq. However, considering that coming from England, you'd probably have to dodge around a few countries that don't want to grant air rights (i.e. Germany, Turkey), it is perhaps longer coming from England.

[colette_g]

I think it's "liveness" depends on current events - on a slow news day, it's probably a video loop, but it appears to be a real live feed at the moment. I'm sure I read on a thread somewhere today that Fox News was supposed to get a live internet feed going for the 1st 72 hours of the conflict.