A tale of refueling tankers, aircraft carriers & bunker buster bombs
Over two dozen KC-135R and KC-46A air refueling tankers appeared on flight tracking software last night, picking them up taking off from their bases and heading northeast over the Atlantic, and then taking a turn southeast that would take them to the Middle East if that flight path is continued. Unknown is if there were fighters accompanying them who could be refueled on the trip.
Israel has just a few, very old Boeing 707 tankers to support fighter jets deep into Iranian territory. They must be using them for the air strikes to be so far into Iran.
Such a large contingent of air-refueling tankers headed that direction brings up a number of options.
There are some conflicting reports, but supposedly six B-2 bombers were sent to the Indian Ocean island Diego Garcia. There were used against Yemen and a show of force to Iran. Now those are being replaced by B-52H. Other reports don't mention the B-52H replacements.
Both the B-2 and the B-52H are capable of carrying the 30,000 bunker buster GBU-57A/B bomb that first penetrates deep in the ground before detonation. These could take out Iranian nuclear facilities rumored to be a half mile underground.
The B-2 has an unrefueled flight range of 6,600 miles and the B-52 8,800 miles. They could hit Iran and return without refueling. There must be fuel at Diego Garcia to fuel bombers and fighter jets. The tankers may be delivering more, or they could be used to support Israeli fighters on a large scale.
This is all guesswork. But if Iran does decide to attack US troops or bases, these tankers could allow Israeli and US air forces to pummel Iran's military and nuclear facilities. The logistics to make it possible seem to be moving in to place.
There are war games going on in Norway, but the tankers are headed in the wrong direction.
There is also the prospect of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz. It's a 20 mile gap between the UAE, Oman and Iran. One fifth of all global oil shipments pass through it along with natural gas and higher percentage of all global shipments. 3,000 ships pass through it each month. Closing the Strait would anger China, its biggest oil customer. In 2019, when faced with the possibility of the Strait being closed, Trump said that, "it's not going to be closed for long." This could also cause US action against Iran.
The U.S.S. Nimitz aircraft carrier and its strike force is headed to the Middle East. The U.S.S. Carl Vinson carrier and its strike force were going to be replaced by the Nimitz in two months, but now there will be the two of them there at the same time.
In addition to the carrier, a strike force may contain guided missile destroyers, cruisers and submarines.
The U.S.S. Thomas Hudner, a destroyer capable of taking out ballistic missiles, is also heading to the area.
If nothing else, there is an obvious presence of seapower being displayed along with their fighter jets' airpower. The air tankers add to the damage that can be done far into Iranian territory. Israel said it had wiped out Iranian air defenses last October. They've taken out a lot more and have said they have free skies to attack now. The B-2s and B-52s can take out anything else. Any attacks on U.S. troops or bases gives the excuse to use those 30,000 pound bunker busters to wipe out the underground Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel has apparently taken out the above ground.
Bill Addis -- Daily Kos