War with Iran - DEFCON 3

[SteelBlue]

I'm really curious about this claim.



The US and Israel essentially had uncontested reign over their airspace twice in the past year. So the term "operational" is doing a lot of work. But the Iranian Air Force is one of the more unique in the world because they have a mix of US, French, Italian, Russian, and Chinese aircraft. Their two primary fighters are the F14 and MiG 29. both 4th Gen fighters. Their entire helicopter fleet is Italian and US. They have minimal (if any) refueling capability.

Maintaining these platforms is difficult even when you own the supply chain. The US is dealing with parts obsolescence on many of our older airframes. I can't imagine how Iran is able to maintain a 60 year old Mirage or F14. Consider that the engine life of an F14 is about 6000 hours before an overhaul. Iran has been cut off from access to parts since 1979. Even without the battle damage of the past month, I don't see how two-thirds of their Air Force could be considered operational.

Agreed. Is it just that they barely had an Air Force to begin with, and 2/3 of barely is fucntionally insignificant?

[Bo Diddley]

It was fun to see Maverick get an F-14 in the last Top Gun. Cool platform.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I think Trump, Hegseth and others are overly impressed by the damage that has been wrought on Iran's military, apparently thinking we can bomb the Iranian regime into submission. That's the mindsel of the Vietnam era's Best and Brightest (and with Trump we have even bester and brighter leadership!). But we dumped more that twice the amount of bombs on Vietnam (including western portions of Cambodia and Laos) as the total ordnance dropped by all of the combatants in WWII. Yet Vietnam survived and if a military solution is the only thing The Best and Brightest, Part Deux, can come up with, this likely won't end well either, as the IRGC is well-entrenched at all levels of Iranian society. This will require an internal uprising which I hope we're working sub rosa to foment.

BTW, were it possible, i think on matters of defense and strategic planning we would be better off replacing Trump, Hegseth and Stephen Miller with a triumvirate drawn from Goatnapper, Copelius, happyone, and BoDiddley. Give them 30 days of preparation with unlimited access to Defense and State Department data and I'm convinced we'd be better off. But then that's a mighty low bar.

[Northwestcoug]

BTW, were it possible, i think on matters of defense and strategic planning we would be better off replacing Trump, Hegseth and Stephen Miller with a triumvirate drawn from Goatnapper, Copelius, happyone, and BoDiddley. Give them 30 days of preparation with unlimited access to Defense and State Department data and I'm convinced we'd be better off. But then that's a mighty low bar.

I like it. I trust that they would be highly skeptical of any war of choice that has regime change in at least part of its mission.

[frank ryan]

I think Trump, Hegseth and others are overly impressed by the damage that has been wrought on Iran's military, apparently thinking we can bomb the Iranian regime into submission. That's the mindsel of the Vietnam era's Best and Brightest (and with Trump we have even bester and brighter leadership!). But we dumped more that twice the amount of bombs on Vietnam (including western portions of Cambodia and Laos) as the total ordnance dropped by all of the combatants in WWII. Yet Vietnam survived and if a military solution is the only thing The Best and Brightest, Part Deux, can come up with, this likely won't end well either, as the IRGC is well-entrenched at all levels of Iranian society. This will require an internal uprising which I hope we're working sub rosa to foment.

BTW, were it possible, i think on matters of defense and strategic planning we would be better off replacing Trump, Hegseth and Stephen Miller with a triumvirate drawn from Goatnapper, Copelius, happyone, and BoDiddley. Give them 30 days of preparation with unlimited access to Defense and State Department data and I'm convinced we'd be better off. But then that's a mighty low bar.

Amen. We have in some regards legitimized the IRGC and cemented their power. It reminds me of how well The Looming Tower expressed the impact our arrogance and lack of awareness had in the Iraq war. I feel like this blunder is far worse than that. There isn't a rational case for keeping Hegseth in power.

[Bo Diddley]

BTW, were it possible, i think on matters of defense and strategic planning we would be better off replacing Trump, Hegseth and Stephen Miller with a triumvirate drawn from Goatnapper, Copelius, happyone, and BoDiddley. Give them 30 days of preparation with unlimited access to Defense and State Department data and I'm convinced we'd be better off. But then that's a mighty low bar.

Better go with the other three. Sometimes I'm a little fast on the trigger. If someone asks, "How's it look, Chief?" I usually go with, "Looks good to me."

[Copelius]

Better go with the other three. Sometimes I'm a little fast on the trigger. If someone asks, "How's it look, Chief?" I usually go with, "Looks good to me."

At least you are still in. I have been out for so long I would be more of a hinderance than help.

[frank ryan]

At least you are still in. I have been out for so long I would be more of a hinderance than help.

Your leadership would be a welcome reprieve from the oodles and constant and often unneeded directives from drunk Hegseth.

[LVAllen]

Trump's War is now screwing up foreign arm sales. Estonia agreed to buy six HIMARS and ammo in 2022, got them in 2025, agreed to purchase additional launchers, but now can't get any ammunition for them because of the Iran Not a War War that Totally For Reals Obliterated Something We Are Still Calling a Threat. They aren't the only ones that were told that shipments are paused.

https://www.stripes.com/sports/europ...-21461446.html

[frank ryan]

Trump's War is now screwing up foreign arm sales. Estonia agreed to buy six HIMARS and ammo in 2022, got them in 2025, agreed to purchase additional launchers, but now can't get any ammunition for them because of the Iran Not a War War that Totally For Reals Obliterated Something We Are Still Calling a Threat. They aren't the only ones that were told that shipments are paused.

https://www.stripes.com/sports/europ...-21461446.html

Yeah, a foreign country would be dumb to trust any agreement with Trump and Hegseth

[SteelBlue]

Another Friday, another rumored breakthrough in diplomacy.