The United States has flown strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf.
The mission was designed as a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American
or allied targets in the Middle East.
Two B-52s flew nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and cruised over the
western side of the Gulf before heading home.
One senior U.S. military officer on condition of anonymity said the flight by two Air Force
B-52 Stratofortresses was in response to intelligence inputs which indicates that Iran may be planning
attacks against U.S or allied targets.
The senior U.S. military officer said, the Pentagon has picked up signs that Iran may
be considering or planning “more complex” and broader attacks against American targets
or interests in the Middle East, adding that it represented the most concerning signs since
the days immediately following the Soleimani killing. The officer cited indications that
advanced weaponry has been flowing from Iran into Iraq recently and that Shiite militia
leaders in Iraq may have met with officers of Iran’s Quds force, previously commanded
by Soleimani.
Viewers may note that after the U.S took out top Iranian military commander Gen. Qassem
Soleimani on Jan 3 2020 with a drone strike, Iran launched a ballistic missile on a military
base in Iraq that caused brain concussion injuries to around 100 U.S. troops.
There is growing apprehension in Washington that an attack could be initiated by Iran.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why even a single B-52 Stratofortress is enough
to cripple Iran's whole military ? Let's get started.
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The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic
bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and
upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s.
Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept
the B-52 in service despite the advent of more advanced aircrafts, including the variable-geometry B-1
Lancer, and the stealthy B-2 Spirit. After being upgraded between 2013 and 2015,
it is supposed to serve into the 2040s. The B-52s are expected to reach the end of their
service lives by 2045, and be replaced by B-21 Raiders.
B 52 are powered by Pratt & Whitney turbojet engines.
The 8 engines of the B-52 are paired in pods and suspended by four pylons beneath and forward
of the wings’ leading edge. It has typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles (14,080 km)
without aerial refueling. The powerful engines also enable B 52 to
carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons. The massive range & excellent payload
makes the B 52 apt for strategic bombing since multiple high value targets can be taken
out in a single long distance mission.
U.S satellite intelligence will mean that B 52 will be guided to the target through
the safest path , as well it must be noted that these could also be escorted by fighter
jets like F 22 Raptor , F 35 lightning which will clear the path by taking out air defense
assets.
The B 52 is capable of carrying both conventional as well as nuclear weapons.
The ability to carry upto 20 AGM-69 SRAM nuclear missiles was added to G and H models, starting
in 1971. To further improve its offensive ability, air-launched cruise missiles were
fitted. After testing of both the Air Force-backed Boeing
AGM-86 and the Navy-backed General Dynamics AGM-109 Tomahawk, the AGM-86B was selected
for operation for the B-52.
A total of 194 B-52Gs and Hs were modified to carry AGM-86s, carrying 12 missiles on
underwing pylons, with 82 B-52Hs further modified to carry another 8 missiles on a
rotary launcher fitted in the bomb-bay.
The AGM-86 is a subsonic air-launched cruise missile built by Boeing. This missile was
developed to increase the effectiveness and survivability of the Boeing B-52 bomber
as the missile can be fired from standoff ranges. In combination, the missile dilutes
an enemy’s forces and complicates air defense of its territory.
All variants of the AGM-86 missile are powered by a Williams F107 turbofan jet engine that
propels it at sustained subsonic speeds and can be launched from aircraft at both high
and low altitudes. The missile deploys its folded wings, tail surfaces and engine inlet
after launch. Sophisticated guidance makes the missile very accurate.
The missile deploys W80 thermonuclear warhead. It has a range of 1,100 to 2,400 km depending
on variant. This enables the B 52 to launch it far off from the target.
As stated earlier a single B 52 can launch upto 20 of these missiles. Hence, an enemy force
could have to counterattack more than one missile at a time, making defense against
them costly and complicated. The enemy’s defenses are further hampered by the missiles'
small size and low-altitude flight capability, which makes them difficult to detect on radar.
The W80 is a thermonuclear warhead in the U.S. nuke stockpile with a variable
yield of between 5 and 150 kt of TNT. It is specifically designed to be used by AGM-86
as well as the BGM-109 Tomahawk. It is essentially a modification of the widely
deployed B61 weapon, which forms the basis of most of the current US stockpile.
The W80 is a powerful asset , to give viewers a perspective here is a the comparison.
Trinity Test in New Mexico in July 1945, which ushered in the nuclear age, had a yield of
20 kilo tons. Hiroshima's "Little Boy" bomb had a yield
of 13-18 kilo tons whereas Nagasaki's "Fat Man" bomb had a yield of 20–22 kilo tons
of TNT.
Depending on variant G or H , B 52 will be able to launch 12 or 20 of these W80 warheads
carried by AGM-86 missile . This means a single aircraft has a destructive capacity of 12
* 150 that is 1800 or 20 * 150 that is 3000 kt tons of TNT.
This is enough to obliterate major military assets of any country.
Tensions between the U.S and Iran is simmering and seems to have reached a dangerous point
after killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, an Iranian scientist named by the West as the leader
of the Islamic Republic’s disbanded military nuclear program.
Iran has blamed Israel for it and there is murmuring that the operation had Washington's
backing.
U.S Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of Central Command, stated,
“The United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command
area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary, and make clear that we are ready
and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests. We do not seek
conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act
decisively in response to any attack.”
Though he didn't mention Iran by name, the signaling was clear.
B-52 is massively powerful and has the ability to carry out long distance strike.
Recently a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine made an unusual transit of the Strait of Hormuz,
the strategic waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
The message is that the U.S has military assets that Iran has no answer to and could act with
deadly force.