Reinforcements! The U.S. may be gearing up for a major move! On July 24, foreign media reported that over 10 U.S. Air Force KC-135R aerial refueling aircraft have arrived at Israeli bases within the past few hours. Currently, there are nearly 100 aerial refueling aircraft stationed within the country, and large-scale air transport operations from Europe to the Middle East by the U.S. Air Force are still ongoing. Moreover, the United States has today deployed two EA-37B "Compass Call" electronic warfare aircraft.
The role of these aircraft is to conduct Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions, disrupting enemy radar and communications. They are likely to be coordinated with recently deployed B-1 Lancer bombers for the "Iron Anvil" strike operation. Clearly, from this move by the U.S., it is evident that military reinforcements are being actively mobilized. With bombers in place, electronic warfare planes deployed, aerial refueling assets being gathered, and aircraft carriers and fighter jets already stationed in the Middle East, the current U.S. military configuration fully possesses the hardware capability to launch a high-intensity, long-range air strike campaign.
Iran's territory is vast and deeply entrenched, making it difficult for conventional fighters to reach Iran’s interior on a one-way mission. The pre-positioning of large numbers of refueling aircraft is essentially aimed at supporting sustained, multi-wave, long-endurance bombing operations by large formations. Meanwhile, the EA-37B electronic warfare aircraft serve as the vanguard of any air assault, suppressing Iran’s air defense radars and communication systems immediately prior to hostilities, thereby shielding the B-1 bombers as they enter target areas for precision strikes. It is clear that following Iran’s refusal to negotiate with the U.S., it appears the United States is preparing for a significant escalation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871608560171020/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.