by Oui
Mon Jun 16th, 2025 at 03:31:00 AM EST
BREAKING NEWS: Stationed on German soil @Ramstein AFB
Large fleet tankers for refueling heading towards Middle East .. support for its Qatar based fleet plus UK and German tankers now operating in support of Israel.
THREATENING ESCALATION BY NATO MEMBERS
TWO WARS -- SAME ACTORS
Open Skies – Europe Stations US Tanker Fleet
MAKING NATO AND EUROPE COMPLICIT
Boeing KC-46A Pegasus Reg. 18-46049
Flight RCH024 Wichita to Germany Ramstein Air Base – home NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/rch24#3ad168ae
A breaking news headline need to follow up
USAF Tanker Fleet Heading Towards Middle East
U.S. Forward Deploys Dozens of Aerial Tankers Amid Possible Entry Into Israel-Iran War
Although Israeli Air Force F-15 fighters are capable of reaching Iranian territory without refuelling in the air, the large majority of the fleet is comprised of F-16s which lack the range needed to strike most Iranian targets even when carrying external fuel tanks and employing long range air-launched cruise or ballistic missile.
Western fighters on average have far shorter ranges than their Chinese or Russian counterparts, which has resulted in a very heavy reliance on aerial refuelling for operations against state adversaries. The F-35, for example, has a combat radius of approximately 1000 kilometres, compared to approximately 2000 kilometres for the Chinese J-20 or Russian Su-34.
The U.S. Navy’s carrier groups’ potential vulnerability to Iranian missile strikes is expected to force them to launch sorties across considerable distances, which could make aerial refuelling support highly valuable. Although the United States has committed itself to Israel’s defence for decades, the risks of more actively joining the war effort remain significant, with Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal having the potential to threaten military bases across the Middle East and much of Europe.
The Iranian arsenal has demonstrated high levels of precision and the ability to penetrate even very densely defended airspace, which makes it a particularly significant deterrent to escalation.
See most recent news on Israel's Attack on Iran in previous diary ...
Damage Inside Israel after Iranian Retaliation
Several sites hit in Israel after Iran missile barrage – an Overview | Ahram Online |
[work in progress ... ⚠️{
