By Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D., Vice President, Lexington Institute.
August 12, 2024 – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is making sure U.S. Central Command is prepared to attack Iran, and/or its proxies, if Tehran strikes in the next few days. Read my 8.12.2024 piece for FOX News here.
Air Force F-22 fighter jet pilots have already unpacked their bags at a Middle East base, where they arrived Aug 8. On Sunday night, Austin accelerated the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and moved the submarine USS Georgia under U.S. Central Command’s control. More systems, including F-35Cs, F/A-18EFs, DDG-51 destroyers and Air Force F-15Es are under Central Command’s operational control. Austin’s choice to deploy America’s top of the line strike options serves two purposes. The first, obviously, is to deter Iran and constrain Iran’s tactical options as the mullahs mull their retaliation plans. But the specific choice of these forces is to provide Central Command with capability for sustained, precision strikes against military targets in Iran or amongst Iran’s militia groups.
Don’t forget that U.S. B-2 bombers can reach any spot on the globe. Also, B-1 bombers were used by Central Command in attacks on Syrian targets, and I would not be surprised to see the B-1s in action again with their joint stand-off missiles. Beyond this, expect Britain, France, regional allies like Jordan, and others to have forces in play.
Of course, China is taking note of this firepower display. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued a statement on Saturday supporting Iran’s “dignity” and right to self-defense, whatever that means. Iran is the center of Mideast terror; China is Iran’s top ally.
This article was originally published on the Lexington Institute: https://lexingtoninstitute.org/air-force-wavering-on-new-fighter-imperils-worlds-most-advanced-engines/