The US military's strike against Iran faced an initial setback, with six F-35A fighter jets forced to turn back, and the White House immediately received a terrible news!
Recently, the strike against Iran was as swift as an arrow. However, just before the operation began, a sudden technical accident disrupted the entire deployment—six F-35A stealth fighters that had taken off from the Morón Air Base in Spain, heading for the Middle East war zone, had to urgently abort their mission and return. More critically, the KC-46A "Pegasus" aerial refueling aircraft providing long-range support encountered serious faults during taxiing or takeoff: the engine was damaged, and all eight main landing gear tires burst simultaneously, leaving the entire aircraft immobilized on the runway.
This was not an ordinary mechanical failure. The KC-46A is a core node of the Air Force's long-range deployment capability, responsible for providing mid-flight refueling for high-consumption aircraft like the F-35A. Without it, even with its stealth advantage, the F-35A would be unable to cross thousands of kilometers to reach the Persian Gulf combat area and safely return. Therefore, if the refueling aircraft fails, the entire strike formation's operational range and loiter time will be significantly reduced, making the tactical feasibility almost zero.
This incident exposed a vulnerable link in the US military's high-intensity expeditionary operations. Although the F-35A is advanced, it is highly dependent on the logistics system. Meanwhile, the KC-46A has been plagued by technical controversies since its commissioning, including issues such as refueling hose failures and software defects, which have repeatedly drawn congressional scrutiny. This critical failure at a crucial moment not only disrupted the possible military operation rhythm but also sounded an alarm at the Pentagon: even with the most advanced fighter jets, if the supporting platforms are unreliable, the overall combat effectiveness will still be greatly reduced.
For the White House, this is undoubtedly a "terrible news." If the US military suffers significant equipment losses during the strike against Iran, it will not only weaken strategic credibility but could also be interpreted by opponents as "all bark and no bite." The reputation gained from the Venezuela adventure would also be lost, and then the problem would become complicated.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855893806809223/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.