US deploys 6 B-52 bombers to Diego Garcia in Indian Ocean after Soleimani strike

[EdinVA]

The U.S. Air Force is deploying six B-52 bombers to Diego Garcia, an island base in the Indian Ocean, amid the rising threat from Iran after the U.S.-led airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Fox News confirmed Monday.
The move, which CNN first reported, was the latest in efforts by U.S. military officials to bolster resources near the Middle East after the Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah hinted at possible retaliatory attacks to avenge Soleimani's death.
The B-52 bombers reportedly were spotted departing from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to Diego Garcia, which is located 2,300 miles south of Iran’s southernmost tip.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-deploys-b52-bombers-indian-ocean

[Wingnut]

6?   seems like a bit of an over kill.   

[corbe]

                    96th Bomb Wing

   The BUFF lives on.  I am so proud to be a part of that Tradition, though they were mostly 'D' models, quickly retired after the Vietnam war.

[thackney]

https://www.britannica.com/place/Diego-Garcia-island-Indian-Ocean

~3,250 miles to Tehran.  London, England is closer.

[Just_Victor]

https://www.britannica.com/place/Diego-Garcia-island-Indian-Ocean

~3,250 miles to Tehran.  London, England is closer.

But a flight from Diego Garcia wouldn't have to transit any other countries.

[PeteS in CA]

Diego Garcia is one of the Chagos Islands. Remember this little story a couple of months ago, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50511847 ? I have zero evidence, but I wonder if Mauritius was either trying to close down this US base or get (and jack up?) the rent for it.

As @Just_Victor suggested, Diego Garcia is at once in the middle of nowhere and has uncomplicated air access to eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and southern Asia. It's also ideal as a base for anti-submarine patrolling.

[mystery-ak]

U.S. Air Force performs huge show of strength with 52 fully-armed F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters - the same number of Iranian targets Trump has announced - taking off in a single wave from Utah base

    52 F-35A aircraft, worth $4.2 billion, took off in quick succession from the Hill Air Force Base in Utah Monday
    388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings said it showed the ability to field large number of the stealth fighters
    F-35 Lightning II - which cost $1.5trillion to develop - is billed as the most advanced fighter jet ever flown
    52 represents the number of Americans seized during the 1979 hostage crisis, and also the number of targets that Trump has threatened to strike in Iran if the regime retaliates over the killing of General Soleimani

By Emily Crane For Dailymail.com

Published: 20:29 EST, 6 January 2020 | Updated: 09:12 EST, 7 January 2020



more
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7858943/U-S-Air-Force-launches-F-35A-Lightning-II-stealth-fighters-Utah.html

[PeteS in CA]

Classic "elephant walk", though I think the protective covers are in place over the engine inlets in that picture.

[Smokin Joe]

6?   seems like a bit of an over kill.   

Barksdale has nukes, iirc. The BUFF can haul a dozen  AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles, so 6 would provide target redundancy and stand off capability at the same time. Of course, those same missiles, or up to 20 ALCMs (AGM-86A) per BUFF could be mounted with conventional warheads as well.

[AL]

I still say, let the 52's take out the complete power grid, turn Iran dark, and nothing electrical works.

[Smokin Joe]

I still say, let the 52's take out the complete power grid, turn Iran dark, and nothing electrical works.

Send in stealthy aircraft for that, use the BUFFs to mop up...unless cruise missiles are used to hit those targets.

(Like the Gulf War, where the F-117's took out the AAA, radar sites, etc. )

The readiness to retaliate at whatever force level is merited by any action by Iran might serve as a deterrent. Then again, you never know while dealing with Islamists.

One person's fridge shuts down, one hospital loses patients for lack of power, and you know who the globalmedia are going to paint as the bad guy...

Unlike Iraq, there are still people in Iran who remember life under the Shah, and a better world for their children than under the Mullahs and Ayatollahs.

[truth_seeker]

Iran has been trained by the US that nobody wil punish them.

To them they poked us 40 years ago, we bellowed but did little-nothing.

BushII called them "Axis of Evil," but did nothing.

Obama gave them big buck$.

If as has been claimed they have killed thousands of our troops, it is long overdue, tosquare up the ledger.

[goatprairie]

Diego Garcia is one of the Chagos Islands. Remember this little story a couple of months ago, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50511847 ? I have zero evidence, but I wonder if Mauritius was either trying to close down this US base or get (and jack up?) the rent for it.

As @Just_Victor suggested, Diego Garcia is at once in the middle of nowhere and has uncomplicated air access to eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and southern Asia. It's also ideal as a base for anti-submarine patrolling.

If you visited the place and wanted to meet the base commander would you say
"bring me the head of Diego Garcia?"