Twelve US Air Force F-22 Raptors have arrived at RAF Lakenheath, supported by a large-scale aerial refuelling operation that has triggered speculation of preparations for a possible strike on Iran.
The Raptors deployed from Langley Air Force Base under the callsigns TABOR51, TABOR61 and TABOR71, with four aircraft in each flight. They were supported across the Atlantic by multiple KC-135 and KC-10 tankers flying under the GOLD callsign series as part of Operation Coronet East 083.
According to flight tracking and open-source intelligence data, over 30 US tankers have repositioned into Europe and the Middle East in recent days. This follows reports that US Navy carriers USS Nimitz and USS Carl Vinson are converging in the Arabian Sea.
Observers noted the F-22s were not visible on public tracking platforms but were identified by military spotters and livestreams. Videos show the Raptors arriving at dusk in Suffolk, escorted by the transatlantic tanker force.
The Pentagon has made no public comment, but the arrival of stealth fighters and the surge in refuelling assets adds to signs of a US posture shift as tensions rise with Iran.
The F-22 Raptor is the most advanced air superiority fighter in the world. Its presence in Europe, particularly in such numbers, is often seen as either a high-end deterrent or a forward deployment ahead of major operations.
I have to admit, though I’m thoroughly against the idea of a nuclear-armed Iran – the very thought of facilitating US military operations in this climate leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. We ought to leave them to it, this is an American problem. surely they ought not to require assistance from some random country who hasn’t fought a war in years.
None of this would have happened if Trump was president.
Lol. This is what happens if the US withdraws from the world and focuses inward – all sorts of problems creep out of the woodwork.
Most of these problems are American made though. Literally the state of Israel and the Iranian regime are both products of US foreign policy.
No one other than Israel is asking them to bomb Iran.
Their own Congress and supporters are asking them not to do it.
Their intervention is not required.
The Iranian regime are probably right to be concerned. Personally I would expect the US to simply ensure there is no way Iran is ever going to have a nuclear weapon. The US military are probably just positioning their assets to achieve that objective. The regime would be wise to simply destroy everything they have which could be used in a weapon now and agree to close down the whole programme.
That said who knows what is going through DT’s mind.
Or the deal signed by Obama could still be in force maybe?
Obama’s deal only kicked the can down the road. He said so himself in 2015, “What is a more relevant fear would be that in year 13, 14, 15, they have advanced centrifuges that can enrich uranium fairly rapidly, and at that time the breakout times would have shrunk almost down to zero.”
KC10s? Thought they had been retired?
There was me thinking the USA didn’t need Europe.
Suddenly all their planes are here.
I suggest they go Eldarado Canyon style and fly straight down the Mediterranean centre line.
Starmer needs to put his foot down or risk being kicked out of office.
No British basing for any operation against Iran.
They never said they didn’t need Europe, just that they could no longer afford to subside our collective defence.
What collective defence? They have two brigades in Europe. Most of their forces in Europe are hear to project power into the Middle East. Their missile defence in Europe is to protect their bases from Iranian missiles.
As you’ll know, they have a significant number of aircraft in Europe also. The missiles will be there to primarily protect their assets, granted. Not sure if it’s been made public that they can also be used for wider air defence.
Now we are between a rock and a hard place.
If the current Iranian regime survives this, they will definitely go for a Nuke.
They should by now realise that their attempted saturation attacks with conventional Ballistic missiles against Israel are mostly ineffective.
Pre 1979 Iran and Israel were allies …. and now this is where religious dogma gets us, it’s stupid.
Why deploy to Lakenheath unless the UK government has agreed to basing long range air assets here such as B2s or B52s in exchange for increased protection- hence the F22s deployed. 12 aircraft is a sizeable chunk of the US F22 fleet which is an elite cadre of barely 135 fighters- they only made small numbers of F22s- hopefully the next US air supremacy fighter the F47- Sabre is going to be built in greater numbers.
The Chinese and Russians know the F22 fleet is lacking in reserves and therefore would go after these aircraft with all they have got to remove them as a menace to their plans.
Attacking Iran for the USA makes a lot of sense now- Israel has degraded the Iranian air force and suppressed their air defences to such an extent they have air superiority over Iran and can attack at will. The ONLY thing they need US support with is bunker busting and hitting their deeply buried nuclear infrastructure or at least the routes into and out of these buried sites. The US could do a full plausible deniability operation and just hit them and say it was Israel- removing the Iranian nuclear threat once and for all- certainly within this generation.
Interestingly Ukraine probably is benefiting from Israel’s actions over Iran as the Iranian regimen was supportive of Russia’s war effort with drones, munitions and missiles. Ditto the Houthis in Yemen- they wont be getting any new ballistic missiles to fire off against shipping and their production of cruise missiles will be curtailed to barely a trickle- all the hardware was coming from Iran and their production sites are now either already destroyed or about to be destroyed by Israeli air force.
Agree with Jim though- this does NOT involve the UK and we should not be joining in the attacks against Iran.
The US can’t really perform long range bombing missions in the Middle East without the UK’s permission/assistance though. Basing either from the UK, Cyprus or Diego Garcia all need our permission.
That realistically only leaves B2 direct bombing raids from mainland US with very considerable tanker support!
Not sure why the US would need F22s in an operation against Iran. They are air superiority planes and Iran’s aircraft fleet is almost non existent. They can carry ground attack ordnance but lack target designation capability. Given the high cost of maintenance, especially the stealth coating, it seems unlikely they would be used to help Israel intercept missiles.