Originally posted by: Aimster
Yes, current known.
You think the U.S knows the location of the air defense sites of every single Iranian air defense system?
No, I don't. They don't need to either. For sure the US is going to know most of Iran's airfields, and you can be assured those will look like the typical Illinois highway when the USAF and Navy get done with it. See air defense rebuttal below...
Saddam's Iraq managed to shoot a number of our aircraft down. What the hell makes you think Iran will fail at shooting down one?
Look at operation Desert Storm.
Iraq's air defense systems were taken out by surprise B-2 bombers. Yet, even with the bombardment of cruise missiles and air-ground missiles, their systems still stood after a couple days.
We are more than a decade ahead in technology compared to Desert Storm, and after our little 2003 adventure - that's still ongoing - we're even more ahead. How many of our aircraft did Saddam in 2003 shoot down? Not that Wiki is always right, but I'd think most times they're close...with straight out facts that no one would dispute, I'd think looking at the 2003 numbers
here would basically give you an idea of Iran's general capabilities. Even multiplying those 2003 numbers by a factor of 10 for fixed wing, there is just no possible way Iran is going to draw meaningful blood. And that's a factor of 10...I cannot believe you'd argue that Iran would have a 10x greater threat than Iraq in ground/air to air against us, especially after we take out the most capable fixed installation stuff, since that's the first to go.
Iran turns off their air defense systems. The U.S sends in aircraft to map the locations. Iran is not turning the systems on. In order to know the exact location of the radar systems , you need to pick up a signal. Without that signal all you have to go on is satellite imagery. That is not going to give you all the locations.
Well, Iran could certainly turn off their air defense systems, however when there's tons of the other sides airframes flying overhead, that tends to lower morale on your side a tad...just a guess of mine of course. Given that, I'd just make a crazy guess that those Iranian air defense systems we didn't wipe out in the first, second, and third go arounds would last long with many stealth and wild weasel type airframes overhead. By a factor of 10x lethality?
Highly doubt it...
The U.S Navy does not have an advantage in the Persian Gulf. I suggest you read on open water naval warfare and the benefits and disadvantages of naval ships in shallow waters such as the Persian Gulf. Iran's Navy needs to be taken out by air. Not by naval warfare unless you want to risk the lives of seamen when you can risk none with air strikes.
Discounting whatever subs Iran has, which will just be taken out by our own subs in short order, are you honestly saying the Iranian Navy - whatever that really means - is going to go toe to toe with the US Navy? By the time the US Navy got involved, 1 B-2 carrying 2000 lbs. laser guided bombs could sink the entire Iranian Navy...or, being even more conservative, say 2 B-2's. Right before that, our subs would take their subs (less noise in the water if they go first). The US Navy wouldn't even need to be present really, no need to risk a carrier or other high value target, especially when we're talking about not risking anything more than we have to.
Argue all you want on pressuring Iran, how we should handle Iran, whether the Iranian president is a total loon or just a partial loon...
...but for the love of all that's holy, please just stop with the [insert other countries military here] military could make the US military be sorry cr@p. There's a reason 3rd world countries eventually blink (if their leaders are at all sane) when the US "asks" them to do something, and that's because economically and militarily we can either be your best friend, or worst nightmare.
Chuck
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