America Goes Retro: combat aircraft from the Vietnam War experience against IS a comeback, and the decades-old B-52 bombers were soon joined them. This is supported by a number of reasons.
In war, all means are acceptable: The US military takes this wisdom apparently at his word and has reactivated for the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) of one of its most unusual warplanes. According to a report of the US-portal " Daily Beast " in 2015 two Rockwell Aviator type "are since autumn OV-10 Bronco " used.
The advantage: The fan guns can start on very uneven surfaces and land, as well as flying in very low altitude. Further, the two-seater are not limited in terms Resupply. So the planes produced only until 1976 on the one hand be equipped with machine guns for ground support. On the other hand Sidewinder missiles can be mounted on the air-to-air combat. In the Middle East they do the former. According to the report, the Broncos would have a total participated in 120 missions to 82 days.
The US committed late last year for the first time since 2011 combat units in Iraq. According to "New York Times " are among the special forces - about 200 men - especially so-called Delta Force commandos. They should weaken the IS units by spy them and shake the management level.
US military wants to save costsThe support of special forces but is only one aspect. The US military has apparently reduce costs and check the use of the Broncos now whether they can replace the much more expensive F15- and F18 fighter jets in air strikes altogether. While the F15 costs about $ 40,000 per hour to Beech, all costs of the use of the "OV-10" only $ 1,000, it said in the report.
Even the most impressive flier US Air Force, the B-52 bomber, will soon ascend to the fight against IS. After the long-haul aircraft has been used 2003 second Iraq war, they should according to a report of " Air Force Times back in the crisis area" from April this year.
The B-52 replaced accordingly several air squadrons of the "B-1 Lancer" who had flown since August 2014 operations against the IS. After a major overhaul in the US they should return to the crisis area again until the summer.
The heaviest bombers of the world - a start is possible even with a weight of 221 tonnes - can be equipped with nuclear weapons alongside conventional bombs. "It is difficult to replace the B-52 - mainly due to its payload and its reach" explained how Air Force spokeswoman Deborah James against the military newspaper.
Thanks to the possibility of in-flight refueling of bombers can remain virtually unlimited in the air. Its range is about 16,000 kilometers with auxiliary tanks even 20,000. The first time in 1955 spilled from the band "Stratofortress", English "stratospheric fort", has been overhauled several times technically in the last decades.
Nasa uses British bomberThe Nasa apparently goes according to the principle "old wine in new bottles' before. As the " BBC " reported a few days ago, is the US Space Agency on combat aircraft from the Second World War.
Although the so-called Canberra bombers were sent already in the 1970s in the military retirement, three demilitarized fliers are used as part of the so-called "Airborne Science Program" (ASP) for research purposes for Nasa.
Since the Canberra bombers were designed to fly very high and very fast, the space agency may employ for tests to support their satellites, as program director Charles Mallini told the BBC. So the Canberra will used for example for calibration of newly developed sensors.
Source: http://www.n24.de/n24/Nachrichten/Wissenschaft/d/8207644/jetzt-sollen-vietnamkriegs-bomber-den-is-besiegen.html
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