Forum: F-16 News

This is a discussion topic for the F-16.net news article: "Israel to attack Iran?". You can read the full forum discussion in the F-16.net forum.

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Assuming we take Der Spiegel at their word,....

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The plan calls for the destruction of a half dozen targets by F-16 combat bombers "simultaneously as well as completely" - an action, described as delicate, but "technically possible."

Israel already has JDAM kits in quantity. The better option would be lofting 2000lb JDAMs from over 10 miles away using F-15s with tanker support. The worse the weather and visibility the better, a volley of JDAMs will hit reguardless. Either way it is one hell of a long ride, making the old Iraqi reactor strike look like a short drive. Have Nap/Popeye and Have Lite are cool, but they have failed occassionally in tests. SPICE offers more standoff range like Have Nap / Popeye but it is unknown to me anyway if that is fully operational yet.

Elp

If they want to do it with the F-16's, I think it will be netter to wait till we get the F-16's, because of the reason you already mention, the range issue. In the Iraqi reactor strike the F-16's got back to Israel on the last few fuel drops. Either they can use the "Ra'am" (F-15I) to do so. Though I think it will do better if the task force would be F-15I's and F-16I's.

Deepspace

If anyone has a reason to strike Iran...these guys certainly do, I would back them

Even with the F-16's & F-15's both don't have the legs to reach alll locations and return from targets within the borders of Iran without tanking.. No way any of surrounding countries will allow over flights and those tankers would become targets for any of those countries violated. Likely to be forced down and worst case brought down..

Plus not like Iraq, Iran have not centralised any of there sites in one place (Learning from the Iraqi raid). Last I read there dotted all round the country.

This sort of attack would be better suited for a sub based precision strike using TLAM's or forces out of Diego Garcia

Anyway to counter Thomas's suggestion. I wouldn't back any such mission. Likely to set fire to the whole Middle East if that happened. A whole new lot of hurt for all.

Sorry, I have to agree with Thomas. We need a new parking lot!

Yeah, telling the Israeli's that the holocaust was a "myth" is kinda like poking the beehive to see what comes out. Iran can't even keep thier C-130's from crashing into apartment buildings in downtown Tehran, and they want to take on an air force that shot down all of syria's air force in a day or two? Not to smart in my opinion. The Israeli's take their freedom very seriously.

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A whole new lot of hurt for all.

As opposed to when they nuke Israel? Is there much honest debate to be had about where the first Iranian nuke would be deployed....especially given the current mindset of the people in charge of that deal?

There is NOTHING good going to come from any of it, but the least ammount of bad is likely to occur without nuclear weapons being involved.....and that means BEFORE they make one. The more moderate regimes in the region have been held at bay from using chemical or bio weapons because they fear retaliation....this group seems just nutty enough to not care much.

The best course of action would be for the Iranian people to put an end to this before a zillion people get killed. Funny how the current Iranian "student" movement wants a less tyrranical government. They replaced the Shah's tyrrany with one worse.

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Iran can't even keep thier C-130's from crashing into apartment buildings in downtown Tehran, and they want to take on an air force that shot down all of syria's air force in a day or two? Not to smart in my opinion. The Israeli's take their freedom very seriously.

Best testing ground the US has ever had.

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Best testing ground the US has ever had.

Ha, yeah as a friend said to me "The IAF, and the IDF can take on the forces of heaven and hell and win".

Sorry guys, still no convinced its the right way to go. May be politically the right thing to do, but the FALLOUT environmentally, financially won't bring piece to the region or the world for multiple reasons.

Purplehaze, The BS you came out with in response to this topic, we could refloat the Titanic with and could get you barred Evil or Very Mad

. Make the conversation constructive not full of testosterone induced crap.

So, Asif, what's the answer? The fallout environmentally.....will be quite literal, and whomever is left in Israel after the mushroom cloud has dissipated will surely retaliate directly.

The Iranians don't seem terribly willing to discuss the matter, or is it your contention that none of their nukes would wnd up in Tel Aviv?

I'm not sure its a political question...its a survival question for the Israelis, who aren't going to get nuked while they have the means to prevent it. Sure as heck nobody wants to go after Iran....least of all the Israelis, but they are severly limiting the options available, doncha think?

If I had the answers buddy I'd be queuing up for my Noble Peace prize by now

I have already started another thread with this subject here: http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-4884.html Someone said there that it's already too late for a strike... Besides the IAF has only 25 F-15I wich I believe is not enough for so many targets.
Yes, range is an issue but remember that in the 7 day war IAF Vautour bombers (twin engined, made by Dassault) attacked and destroyed egyptian Tu-16 bombers at Ras Banas airbase in southern Egypt in the afternoon of June the 5th 1967. This base was well out of range of the Vautours (1200 km away) but they managed to get there flying at close to minimum speed on ONE ENGINE only (remember those were twin engined planes) all the way to the target and back, reduceing the fuel consumption with 1/3 compared to the manufacturer's data!!!! Nobody in the west believed it to be possible until it happened but when you are back against the wall (like the IAF for most of its history) you have to do these things...

War of independence '48-49, The Sinai Campaign '56, Six Day War '67, Yom Kippur War '73. War against Terrorism.
(Arab-Israeli Wars)
Middle East reality is a complex maze, where planning just one step ahead is not enough. The outcome will be made on the tenth move, and every move is critical. Hostile Aircraft traverse the borders or Israel within minutes, Never in the history of human conflict has so much hostile weaponry been turned against one nation for so many years. It is an unprecedented complex threat. From Rioters, rock throwers, militia and commandos. And goes all the way up to complex soviet bloc, and western technology. Smart bombs and stand off weapons. These threats range spans from tens of kilometers through second and third circles covering ranges well over 1000 kilometers. Well surface to Surface Missiles cast a constant threat. The Advent of unconventional warfare through Bio/Chem/ and now the possibilities of nuclear threats has added another dimension to the atmosphere. One of a constant tension. The fact that Iran has come out and stated that Israel must be destroyed is a verbal threat which only intel can see if they are gearing up for. But the Israeli's shouldn't take this as lip service, and be prepared. And through out their history they are not afraid to take the fight to the enemy before the enemy can take it to them. Iran still has a formidable Air arm make no doubt about that. Maybe the American Trained Ground crews and pilots are no longer in service, but they did show a good role model for recruits. And the ingenuity of the Iranian industries is amazing. Fitting Hawk SAMs to the F-14 as a lethal AAM. Large number of F-4s, F-5s (that have been converted to 2 seat trainers) F-14s, Mig 29s and so on. It would be a big fight and would spark a large war. But The large war might be over pretty fast. It may not be a good thing, no war never is. But we can not sit and expect them to sit back and do nothing about a threat which is only a thousand miles away. They would not do the same if we were in the same situation I would like to believe.