Absolute rubbish...there are 76 B-52s remaining in the USAF inventory, divided between Minot and Barksdale. For argument’s sake, let’s say they allocated four squadrons to the mission, a total of 48 aircraft. And this deployment went undetected?
For starters, there’s the monumental job of getting more than 40 heavy bombers from bases in Louisiana and North Dakota, to installations in western Europe. As I recall, there are only two bases in that part of the world that have handled B-52s during recent contingency operations, RAF Fairford in the UK, and Moron AB in Spain. Yet, we supposedly sent dozens of heavy bombers to those installations and no one noticed.
Then, there’s the critical element of tanker support. The deployment of all those bombers would be accompanied by an even larger contingent of KC-135s and KC-10s, to refuel the B-52s pre and post-strike (as required) and provide tanking support for other aircraft, such as fighter aircraft, ECM platforms, AWACS, Rivet Joint, Compass Call, etc. Never heard anything about a large-scale tanker deployment, or the move of additional ISR, ECM and battle management platforms to the theater. Strike two, Mr. Hersh.
Additionally, if you’re dispatching large numbers of aircraft to overseas bases, you’ll need hundreds, even thousands of support personnel. That means Air Mobility Command (AMC) would have been awfully busy, along with various civilian contract carriers. And once they arrive, they’ve got to have some place to eat, sleep, bathe, etc. Didn’t see a report about tent cities going up at Moron or Fairford, or a sudden influx of airmen who tied up all available hotel rooms for miles around those bases.
Finally, the B-52s primary weapon (these days) is as a stand-off cruise missile platform. Syria has the relatively advanced SA-17 surface-to-air missile and rest assured, the USAF is not going to send B-52s into that type of threat environment. And in a stand-off role, there is only a limited amount of damage the Buffs could inflict against buried and hardened targets. Neutralizing the AD environment would take a level of effort Barry O wasn’t prepared to authorize. The same holds true for the B-52 deployment.
Hersh has been resting on his laurels for years. This claim is laughable and easily disprovable.
And here I had an old fashion and impressive bombing dancing in my mind of a fly-over-the-target, Arc Light, Linebacker mission dropping big ole iron bombs on jihad Johnny heads or likely boy Assad's noggin.
Hey I know, first attrit those bad Syrian SAMs with good old fashion SEAD missions with some AGM-88 action. We still have that capability or has OButt given that up for Lent?
I recall, there are only two bases in that part of the world that have handled B-52s during recent contingency operations, RAF Fairford in the UK, and Moron AB in Spain. Yet, we supposedly sent dozens of heavy bombers to those installations and no one noticed.
Right, true only 2 Spook.
Hersh has been resting on his laurels for years. This claim is laughable and easily disprovable.
We can dream. LoL.
I read that as the deployment was planned and not that it actually took place.
I'm sure it wasn't all of them, a couple of wings now days is about 24 bombers.
Many of the Buffs have to remain at home to fulfill their Nuclear Triad responsibilities. They are the only Bomber is US inventory that still carries nukes.
Likely, if Obama was serious (is that even possible?) there were another couple of wings of B1B's standing by, raring to go.
Nearly twice the conventional load of a B52, faster and better able to defeat air defense.
If I was going to wreak havoc, I'd employ a couple-three wings of B1B.