Many have asked me over the recent weeks about the logistics involved during the airstrikes on the chemical weapons facilities in Syria. Until recently, I had never heard of CIGeography and their incredible artwork. David Cenciotti’s The Aviationist and Tyler Rogoway’s The War Zone at the The Drive are two of my favorite websites to spend time and they turned me onto CIGeography. To answer the question about what it takes to strike targets in Syria, I thought I would use CIGeography’s graphics to show you the participants in the 13-14 April attacks on Syria’s chemical weapons infrastructure.
F-15C Eagles burn 8000 pounds an hour at tactical speeds. The F-16CM consumes about 3200 pounds per hour. Now you can understand the need for a large air refueling fleet across the Mediterranean Ocean to keep all of these fighters full of gas.
This graph also shows the number of air launched missiles such as Lockheed’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile used for the first time in combat on the Science and Research facility near Damascus.
The video below shows the two B-1 bombers armed with AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) leaving their base in Southwest Asia.
The second CIGeography graphic below shows the surface ships and submarine involved in the attack. US warships fired sixty Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles from The Med at Syrian targets.
It is getting harder and harder to hide military operations from flight aware and aircraft spotter websites. The long train of KC-135 and KC-10 tankers throughout the night were being flight followed on several awareness websites. The first picture shows the tanker train across the Mediterranean Ocean, flowing from and to their bases.
The second picture shows the RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft circling off the coast of Port Said Egypt.
The Israeli Air Force attacked fifty Iranian targets in Syria on the night of 9 May 2018. Targets included Russian supplied SA-22 Panstir air defense vehicles shown in a spectacular Israeli Air Force Delilah cruise missile strike, the tv seeker recording the hit.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle have voice loudly and longly their concerns against these attacks. In the aftermath of President Trump’s decision, the Department of Justice issued the following Memorandum of Opinion for the Council to the President on the legalities of the airstrikes. In the coming weeks there may be additional air attacks on Iranian and Syrian targets by Operation Inherent Resolve coalition and possibly Israeli Air Force aircraft. Standby for another update when that happens.
Have a great Day!
Sluggo Sends!
P.S. — If you’re reading my book Tanker Pilot: Lessons from the Cockpit, I’d really love to hear your thoughts in a review on Amazon here, I read them all.