The Pentagon is not yet preparing for a ground operation in Iran.
MOSCOW, June 17 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. The US Air Force has deployed more than 30 KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft to Europe. Formally— for NATO exercises. But most likely because of the mutual attacks of Israel and Iran. What will happen if Washington directly intervenes in the conflict is in the RIA Novosti article.
Refueling in the air
The United States has the most powerful air armada: more than 13,000 planes and helicopters, not counting drones. And the Pentagon is not shy about using them to their fullest potential — it is aviation that plays a crucial role in American military operations around the world. But the combat capability of this armada depends on the air tankers needed to refuel in the air. There are more than 400 of them in the US Air Force.
The American KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft refuels the F-22 Raptor fighter
Image source: © Photo : U.S. Air Force/Kevin Robertson
The transfer of such aircraft to a certain region is the first intelligence indication that something major is being prepared. No one would just lift them into the air like that. The fact is that they have worn out a lot over decades of intensive operation. The average age of the KC-135 Stratotanker is 52 years. By aviation standards, this is a lot. Most of the aircraft built from 1954 to 1965 should be scrapped. And then they sent three dozen people overseas at once.
For what is still unclear. There are two possible scenarios. The first is the support of the Allied Air Forces. From Tel Aviv to Tehran is more than 1,600 kilometers in a straight line. The fuel tank capacity of the F-15 and F-16 fighter jets is not enough for such long-range sorties, and Israel has only 14 of its own air tankers. The Americans are quite capable of organizing refueling in the airspace of Iraq, Syria or Jordan.
Israeli F-15 fighter jet
Image source: © AP Photo / Tsafrir Abayov
The second option is the direct involvement of the United States in the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly asked Washington for this, but he has so far been refused.
The Sea Front
The White House maintains a military presence in nine countries in the region. It is less than a thousand kilometers from the largest American airbase in the Middle East, Al-Udeid in Qatar, to the capital of Iran. In addition, a strike force led by the aircraft carriers Carl Vinson and the British Prince of Wales is currently stationed in the Persian Gulf. Nimitz is rushing there from the South China Sea.
Three aircraft carriers are a serious threat to any state. In total, they carry almost 250 tactical aircraft. Considering that Israel severely battered Iran's air defenses on the first day of the conflict, it will be very difficult to fight back. Do not forget about escort ships with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking deep into the country.
However, such an operation will not be an easy walk. Iran has a fairly large submarine fleet. In particular, there are 20 ultra-small Gadir-class submarines designed specifically for operations in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. With a displacement of 150 tons and a length of 30 meters, the submarines are highly maneuverable and low in noise.
Ghadir-942 ultra-small submarine
Image source: © AP Photo / Rahbar Emamdadi/Mehr News Agency
The Gadirs are armed with two 533 mm bow torpedo tubes. Hitting even one below the waterline will cause an aircraft carrier to roll noticeably, and this is enough to deprive it of the ability to send and receive aircraft, that is, to perform its main function. In addition, Nasr-1 and newer Jask-2 anti-ship missiles are launched through torpedo tubes, as well as minefields.
In addition to hitting Navy ships directly, Iran is also able to hit American bases in the region. For this purpose, there are ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones of various types. It is unknown how much money has already been spent on Israel and how much has been destroyed on the ground by the Tel Aviv aviation. But it is unlikely that Tehran has laid all the trumps on the table.
Without a land invasion
Nothing has been heard about the mass transfer of American troops to Middle Eastern bases, which means that the Pentagon is not planning a ground operation. After all, it is impossible to keep preparations for war with the seventh largest army in the world (610,000 bayonets) a secret.
"The White House has its own scores to settle with the Iranian regime, for example, for dirty tricks from the Yemeni Houthis, the beneficiaries of which are obvious to everyone," international political analyst Vitaly Arkov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. — It is unlikely that Washington will decide on an onshore operation: they really don't want zinc coffins, and this is inevitable in the event of a war with Iran. But attacks on strategic targets by American sea- and air-based missiles are quite likely."
These are the facilities of the Iranian nuclear program. They are located underground and are well protected from air attacks. Israel may simply not have enough missiles and bombs to guarantee their destruction. Only the United States is capable of a "control shot" in such circumstances.
