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
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Emily Crane
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
1/7/2020 7:21:11 AM
The U.S. Air Force has performed a huge show of strength by launching 52 fully-armed Lightning II stealth fighters in a single wave from a base in Utah. The F-35A aircraft, which are worth a total of $4.2 billion, took off in quick succession from the Hill Air Force Base in Utah on Monday as tensions mount in the Middle East over the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Fifty two is the number of American diplomats and civilians seized by Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis, and the number of targets that Trump has threatened to strike in Iran if the regime retaliates over Soleimani's death.
52, golly what a coincidence!! LOVE IT!!!
21 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
John C 1/7/2020 7:35:02 AM (No. 281028)
For a while we had a retention problem with pilots. Has the President solved that problem also? Does anyone here know?
3 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Peach1 1/7/2020 7:47:09 AM (No. 281037)
I love the way President Trump thinks!
We’re all behind you.
32 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
ByteGuru 1/7/2020 8:05:36 AM (No. 281051)
Totally agree with a massive show of force. The mindset of the followers of the baby rapist is such that the only thing that they will listen to is a visitation of naked, merciless force upon them.
You would think that the ability to target and execute with no warning a single individual from 5 miles up would temper the mullah's interest in poking the giant. Apparently not. One must assume that the repeated chants of 'death to America' are not bravery but utter stupidity.
20 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
John C 1/7/2020 8:11:32 AM (No. 281055)
Another site indicates that all state employees were required to attend with free meals included.
3 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Rinktum 1/7/2020 8:26:40 AM (No. 281072)
This President is resolved to protect this country from the insane Mullahs that have held their country hostage for decades. Iran used to be a modern country until Jimmy Carter decided to play God. Thank God for Donald J. Trump. He understands the Middle East and acts accordingly. Does anyone believe that he will not do what he said he would if Iran misbehaves? What has enabled the vicious and violent Muslim world is a weak and feckless policy articulated by a anti-American sympathizer who just happened to be President. Well, there is a new Sheriff in town and he is unlike any before and he will set the dogs of war loose to devour these little dress wearing, boy loving, Satan worshipping curs.
24 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Strike3 1/7/2020 8:38:27 AM (No. 281082)
Is this guy a master showman or what? The more the Iranians bluster the more you know they are quaking in their sandals.
16 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 1/7/2020 9:09:34 AM (No. 281114)
To put things in perspective, in WWII that would have been a minuscule bombing raid assembled, but they didn't have stealth, or precision munitions either.
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Highlander 1/7/2020 9:13:38 AM (No. 281120)
Remember “Bomb Iran” sung to the tune of “Barbara Ann” during the Iranian hostage crisis, which Carter bungled hopelessly? Trump can bomb that Shi’itey country back to the Stone Age if he has to!
6 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 1/7/2020 9:14:29 AM (No. 281122)
Suffice to say that the President is destroying Obie's previous efforts to make Iran our 51st state. Next stop, Iran's nuclear enrichment facility.
10 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
mean Gene 1/7/2020 9:20:48 AM (No. 281128)
Everybody was asking, "did you hear all those jets taking off? What's happening?"
Here in Northern Utah we all hear these takeoffs but rarely find out why.
4 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
hurricanegirl 1/7/2020 9:30:09 AM (No. 281139)
Although once is probably enough to get the sand flea's attention, part of me (the very tiny part of me that isn't thrifty) wishes the president would do this at EVERY Air Force base around the U.S.
But this time, tell us in advance so we can show our support for the military!
6 people like this.
There used to be a beautiful AFB in Louisiana. England AFB, I believe there was a closing of several bases in the US and it was a victim.
1 person likes this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
fayebeck 1/7/2020 10:18:44 AM (No. 281205)
Personally I loved the "shock and awe" thing by Bush to "frighten" the savages. That was over 15 years ago I think. If obama was doing this "show" we'd all be talking how wasteful and useless this "show of force" is. I would have preferred the 52 planes journey on over to the giant septic tank known as the mideast and dropped some beautiful nukes. But, for now I guess the "show of force" will work again.
4 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Cousair 1/7/2020 10:43:30 AM (No. 281231)
Beautiful display for the cameras but for the pilots behind the first row!
My 45 years of operating jet powered airplanes was the danger of FOD (foreign object damage).
At takeoff power lots of debris is blown into the engines behind them. I hope the last pilots had an uneventful day.
I would question the commander that authorized this stunt.
1 person likes this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
snowoutlaw 1/7/2020 10:47:54 AM (No. 281239)
Bet they didn't see that coming.
1 person likes this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
DVC 1/7/2020 11:34:33 AM (No. 281302)
78 in that wing. This doesn't even include the USMC F-35Bs and the USN F-35Cs which could also be used.
And Iran can't see them on her radars until they are VERY close, too close to make any difference. Iran does not want to do this.
2 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
DVC 1/7/2020 11:54:33 AM (No. 281326)
Interesting point, #9, and you do clarify. A ten man crewed B-17, flying from England to Germany had to trade off bomb load for fuel load to get the necessary range, so typically carried about 5,000 lbs of bombs, increasing and decreasing from that as range requirements permitted. A F-35A can carry 5,700 lbs of internal bombs, which will permit stealthy mode. Once the air defenses are destroyed, and stealth is not as critical, external bombs can be added, and the external bomb racks and bombs give radar returns, so it will show up at a shorter range than an F-15 or F-16, but will definitely show up on radar. With external carriage, non-stealth, the F-35 can carry over 20,000 lbs, and with air-to-air refueling, range is not an issue any more.
A huge fact is that today it is "one target, one bomb" with laser, GPS and optically guided precision munitions. A relative was bombing ISIS a couple of summers ago, and they only needed a few Harriers, two JDAMs per aircraft, to take out all the targets that came up. one JDAM, one target. JDAM is a kit added to a conventional dumb bomb to give it precision guidance and extended glide range.
In WW2, 100 to 300 (or more) B-17s would bomb a target, each dropping around ten 500 lb bombs, sometimes 8, sometimes 12. So, there were 1,000 to 3,000 bombs dropped per raid, and sometimes it took two or three raids to really take out a target. 100 B-17s put 1,000 men at risk.
If there are ten buildings in a complex that must be destroyed, they probably need five F-35s, each with two 2,000 lb bombs internally carried. With precision guidance, two bombs is two targets destroyed. Five aircraft, internal bomb carriage so stealthy, so very difficult to know that they are coming and very difficult to attack them, and only five pilots at risk, rather than 1,000 to 3,000 crew.
And almost never is a second raid required these days.
Iran doesn't want to do this. And actually, we don't either. We want to deter them from their terrorist ways.
4 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
MindMadeUp 1/7/2020 12:14:50 PM (No. 281349)
I'm starting to love this President.
4 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
DVC 1/7/2020 12:38:54 PM (No. 281376)
#16, good point. Let's hope they had an all-hands, Mother-of-all-FOD-walkdowns before they did this show.
1 person likes this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
HotRod 1/7/2020 12:51:31 PM (No. 281392)
This does not include all the drones and missiles available on ships, submarines and ground-based sites. The mullahs are really behind times...
3 people like this.
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