Latest news with #F-15s
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Satellite Image Shows US Air Power Buildup at Island Base Near Iran
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New satellite images showed U.S. forces increasing their air power at an Indian Ocean base that could be a staging point for any attack on Iran, according to an open source intelligence analyst. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) for comment. Why It Matters Ongoing activity at the Diego Garcia airbase, a strategic operating location for both the U.K. and British armies, comes amid tensions with Iran over its nuclear program. Although nuclear talks continue, President Donald Trump has threatened military action if diplomacy fails to produce a new agreement on curbs that could prevent it obtaining nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran has ramped up its military buildup, threatening U.S. targets in the region in the event of any attack. Imagery captured on May 24, 2025, by U.S. Landsat satellites shows U.S. military aircraft positioned at an air base on the island of Diego Garcia, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Imagery captured on May 24, 2025, by U.S. Landsat satellites shows U.S. military aircraft positioned at an air base on the island of Diego Garcia, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Landsat/Sentinel Hub What To Know The U.S. Air Force has recently augmented its aerial refueling capabilities at Diego Garcia, deploying additional KC-135 Stratotankers to the strategic Indian Ocean base, according to satellite imagery shared by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson on X. 🇺🇸NSF Diego Garcia🇺🇸 4x B-52s still operating out of Diego Garcia While resolution is too low for a positive ID, likely spot of 2-3x F-15s 7x Additional aircraft, likely to include KC-135, C-5M and potentially C-17 Src📷: @USGSLandsat 24 May 2025 — MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) May 27, 2025 A recent deployment of F-15 fighter jets adds to a growing U.S. military buildup at Diego Garcia, where four B-52 bombers and a contingent of six B-2 stealth bombers operate. In March, satellite imagery showed the deployment of C-17 cargo planes as well as KC-135 refueling tankers. The remote airbase, over 2,000 miles away from Iran, hosts Space Force operations and is a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and shelters a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron. Tehran has yet to unveil a platform capable of reaching that range, but as a significant missile power, it continues to make strides in expanding long-range capabilities. The status of Diego Garcia has recently been in question and the subject of heated political debate with Britain signing an agreement last week to had sovereignty of the contested Chagos islands — of which it is a part — to Mauritius. Britain says that the agreement will ensure the future of the air and naval base and allow its contimued use by the United States. What People Are Saying Commander Matthew Comer, Indo-Pacific Command spokesperson, told Newsweek earlier: "We have multi-layered defense systems on Diego Garcia that ensure the security and protection of our personnel and equipment." What Happens Next Beyond Iran, the continued U.S. buildup at Diego Garcia signals broader power projection with a potential view to threats in the Red Sea, activity by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen and China's growing naval reach in the Indian Ocean.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Iran Ramps Up Defenses as Risks of U.S. Attack Grow
The Iranian's army chief of staff said the country's air defense capabilities have significantly increased, in preparedness for any violation of its airspace. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for comment. Military posturing has continued in parallel with diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening military action if talks fail. The United States and Iran remain at odds over uranium enrichment, making the discussions increasingly fraught and increasing the risk of failure. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, told an air defense meeting that the country has seen a fivefold increase over the last year in the number of radars, monitoring systems, and detection equipment it has, according to semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The U.S. Air Force, which has been bolstering military equipment in the remote Diego Garcia airbase with strategic bombers, has meanwhile deployed additional F-15 fighter jets to the Indian Ocean island, bringing the total to six, The War Zone reported, citing a U.S. defense official. Diego Garcia would be within bombing range of Iran. As the U.S. is pressing Iran to abandon enrichment, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials have strongly opposed the demand. "For the Americans to say, 'We won't allow Iran to enrich uranium,' is utter nonsense," Khamenei posted to his X account, casting doubt on the outcome of ongoing talks. Baqeri said Iran's interception and destruction capabilities for aerial threats had increased by as much as three times, adding that Iran's airspace is under constant surveillance. Tehran has also recently unveiled a new ballistic missile capable of striking U.S. targets. Iran says that its enrichment of uranium is for a civilian nuclear program, with monitoring from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but the watchdog, the United States and Israel are concerned that enrichment levels and activities could enable it to make nuclear weapons. Commander Matthew Comer, Indo-Pacific Command spokesperson, told The War Zone this week: "The F-15s are deployed providing force protection." Chief of Staff of the Iranian army Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, as quoted by IRNA News Agency last week: "In case the enemies make a mistake or intend to take action against the establishment and the sacred waters and soil of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our armed forces have the ability and readiness to confront them." Nuclear talks are expected to continue, but the risk of an impasse increases the chances of military action. Related Articles Iran's Supreme Leader Speaks Out on Nuclear Deal With TrumpIran's Collapsing Economy Caught in Trump's CrosshairsUS and Iran Clash Over Nuclear Red LinesChina Expanding Haifa Port, Endangering Israeli and American Security | Opinion 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iran Ramps Up Defenses as Risks of U.S. Attack Grow
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Iranian's army chief of staff said the country's air defense capabilities have significantly increased, in preparedness for any violation of its airspace. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for comment. Why It Matters Military posturing has continued in parallel with diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening military action if talks fail. The United States and Iran remain at odds over uranium enrichment, making the discussions increasingly fraught and increasing the risk of failure. A missile system is carried on a truck during a parade commemorating National Army Day in front of the shrine of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 18, 2025.... A missile system is carried on a truck during a parade commemorating National Army Day in front of the shrine of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 18, 2025. More Vahid Salemi/AP Photo What To Know Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, told an air defense meeting that the country has seen a fivefold increase over the last year in the number of radars, monitoring systems, and detection equipment it has, according to semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The U.S. Air Force, which has been bolstering military equipment in the remote Diego Garcia airbase with strategic bombers, has meanwhile deployed additional F-15 fighter jets to the Indian Ocean island, bringing the total to six, The War Zone reported, citing a U.S. defense official. Diego Garcia would be within bombing range of Iran. As the U.S. is pressing Iran to abandon enrichment, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials have strongly opposed the demand. "For the Americans to say, 'We won't allow Iran to enrich uranium,' is utter nonsense," Khamenei posted to his X account, casting doubt on the outcome of ongoing talks. Baqeri said Iran's interception and destruction capabilities for aerial threats had increased by as much as three times, adding that Iran's airspace is under constant surveillance. Tehran has also recently unveiled a new ballistic missile capable of striking U.S. targets. Iran says that its enrichment of uranium is for a civilian nuclear program, with monitoring from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but the watchdog, the United States and Israel are concerned that enrichment levels and activities could enable it to make nuclear weapons. What People Are Saying Commander Matthew Comer, Indo-Pacific Command spokesperson, told The War Zone this week: "The F-15s are deployed providing force protection." Chief of Staff of the Iranian army Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, as quoted by IRNA News Agency last week: "In case the enemies make a mistake or intend to take action against the establishment and the sacred waters and soil of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our armed forces have the ability and readiness to confront them." What Happens Next Nuclear talks are expected to continue, but the risk of an impasse increases the chances of military action.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Additional F-15E Strike Eagles Arrive In Diego Garcia
The U.S. Air Force has increased the number of F-15s sent to Diego Garcia to provide force protection, a U.S. defense official has confirmed to The War Zone. The fighters are there to defend the island and the bomber contingent that has called it home for nearly two months now Amid rising tensions with Iran. During America's accelerated bombing campaign of the Houthis in Yemen, B-2s arrived at Diego Garcia and have since been replaced by B-52s. You can read more about the initial arrival of the F-15s and why they were sent there in our exclusive story here. 'There are now six F-15Es on the island,' said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. The official's comments are in line with new satellite imagery reviewed by The War Zone. Last week, we were the first to report on the arrival of F-15s on the remote island. There were four Strike Eagles visible on Diego Garcia when we first noted fighters at the base in an archived Planet Labs satellite image of the island taken on May 16, 2025. Low resolution imagery taken today indicated that at least two more had arrived. While the official declined to say where the jets came from, open source trackers state the jets arrived from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, located nearly 4,400 miles from Diego Garcia. May16 #KC135's #AE0597 #AE0240 #AE04BA (#RAMEN41-43?) departed Kadena, likely with more "SJ" #F15's. Two tankers rtb later, but #AE0240 seems to have continued to Diego Garcia and was joined by KC135 #AE0594 #RAMEN46 from Diego Garcia — Sir Listenalot (@SirListenalot) May 18, 2025 Last month, a contingent of F-15Es from the 336th Fighter Squadron (FS) at Seymour Johnson Air Force in North Carolina forward-deployed to Kadena. Officials at Seymour Johnson declined to comment on whether the Strike Eagles on Diego Garcia are from the 336th FS. However, their forward presence at Kadena would facilitate an ACE force protection mission to a remote island like the one currently underway. 'As the Keystone of the Pacific, Kadena is a pivotal hub for Agile Combat Employment (ACE),' the Air Force wrote in a press release last month announcing the arrival of jets from the 336th, also known as the Rocketeers. 'The 18th Wing will continue to receive rotational units that strengthen capabilities, such as ACE, and project combat power in concert with allies and partners.' ACE is a term that currently refers to a set of concepts for distributed and disaggregated operations centered heavily on short notice and otherwise irregular deployments, often to remote, austere, or otherwise non-traditional locales. As we have previously noted, 'Diego Garcia has long been a highly strategic operating location for the U.S. military. Beyond its large airfield that sits in the center of the Indian Ocean, it plays many roles for the Department of Defense, including hosting Space Force operations, serving as a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and its lagoon provides shelter for a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron.' Historically, Diego Garcia's remote location has served as a natural barrier to attack by non-near-peer potential adversaries like Iran. However, the threats have been evolving — particularly in the form of long-range attack drones and missiles — and The War Zone previously raised the question of whether fighters like Strike Eagles would be needed to protect the island and its bomber guests. The multi-role F-15Es are particularly well-suited for that role. You can read more about this in our story here. In addition to the Strike Eagles, The War Zone also noted that there were four B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane, and a white-colored airliner with orange nacelles — most likely an SAS airlines personnel transport flight seen in the image taken May 16. The low-resolution image we saw today shows the B-52s are still there, along with three KC-135s and the C-17, as well as the six fighters. Earlier, the island gained a lot of attention for hosting an unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that began arriving in March for a clear show of force aimed primarily at Iran. The B-2s subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. For a short period, there were 10 U.S. Air Force bombers on Diego Garcia, however, the B-2s began leaving about May 9th. Earlier today, Whiteman Air Force Base posted a video of the Spirits returning. 'You can't fight what you can't see,' Whiteman said on X. '#B2Spirit stealth bombers returned home to Whiteman AFB from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.' You can't fight what you can't see #B2Spirit stealth bombers returned home to Whiteman AFB from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.@US_STRATCOM@AFGlobalStrike@ — Whiteman AFB (@Whiteman_AFB) May 19, 2025 It is unknown if additional Strike Eagles will be headed to Diego Garcia or how long the ones now there will remain. We will provide updates when warranted. Contact the author: howard@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
F-15 Eagles Deploy To Diego Garcia To Protect The Indian Ocean Outpost
The U.S. Air Force has sent a contingent of at least four F-15 fighters to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to help provide force protection for the island and the assets currently deployed there, which includes B-52H bombers. TWZ explicitly raised this possibility in April in a piece touching on evolving threats to the highly strategic Indian Ocean outpost and the vulnerabilities they highlight. 'The F-15s are deployed providing force protection,' an official with U.S INDOPACOM confirmed to The War Zone. We had some follow up questions and will update this story with any new pertinent details provided. TWZ first noted the F-15s in a satellite image of Diego Garcia taken on May 16, 2025, from Planet Labs archive. Whether these are F-15C/D Eagles, which the U.S. Air Force is steadily retiring, or F-15E Strike Eagles isn't perfectly clear, although they appear to most likely be E models based on their paint tone. Four B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane, and a white-colored airliner with orange nacelles — most likely an SAS airlines personnel transport flight — is also viewable in the image. A review of additional satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates the F-15s have been there since at least May 14. Diego Garcia has long been a highly strategic operating location for the U.S. military. Beyond its large airfield that sits in the center of the Indian Ocean, it plays many roles for the Department of Defense, including hosting Space Force operations, serving as a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and its lagoon provides shelter for a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron. The island outpost drew particular attention recently after an unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers began arriving in March in a clear show of force aimed primarily at Iran. The B-2s subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. The four B-52s now on Diego Garcia began arriving last week. For a very brief period, there were 10 U.S. bombers on the island, but the B-2s quickly began departing for home. Online flight tracking data indicates that the last B-2s left the island on or around May 9th. 10 US Air Force strategic bombers are at Diego Garcia as of to be seen is whether the B-2s will return to the States or stay for a while longer. — TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) May 8, 2025 Correction on the callsign, it's #CHIRO11. — EISNspotter (@EISNspotter) May 10, 2025 A satellite image from 9 May with 3x B-2 and 4x B-52 bombers in Diego Garcia. Source: MizarVision, a Chinese commercial satellite imagery company. Media reports and open-source flight data and air traffic control monitoring indicate that the B-2 bombers are leaving Diego Garcia. — Shahryar Pasandideh (@shahpas) May 11, 2025 Historically, Diego Garcia's remoteness has been seen as a natural barrier to attack by non-near-peer potential adversaries like Iran. However, as TWZ has previously noted, the threat ecosystem has steadily changed in recent years. As we wrote in a story about the island's potential vulnerabilities in April: 'At the same time, ever-growing threats emanate from Iran, as well as its regional proxies, that are no longer just defined by range rings around the Middle East. Iran has notably commissioned multiple sea base-like vessels that can be used to launch potentially large numbers of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as long-range kamikaze drones, all from hundreds of miles away, in recent years. The Iranians have also demonstrated missile and drone capabilities, including launchers in standard shipping containers, which could be employed from commercial cargo and other civilian ships. Iran already has a history of using converted cargo vessels as motherships for intelligence gathering and covert attacks. There is also the potential for Iranian operatives or proxies to infiltrate an area to launch more localized campaigns, including using smaller and shorter-ranged weaponized drones.' As noted, in that same story, we had also explicitly raised the question of whether a fighter contingent might appear on the island to provide force protection in light of those threats. Deploying to enhance security for a high-profile VIP visit is another possibility, although we have no indication that is the case at this time. Regardless, F-15s would be an ideal platform for this force protection role. U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles very pointedly demonstrated their ability to contribute to a layered defense against complex cruise missile and drone attacks while helping to defend Israel from threats launched by Iran last year. They are arguably the most experienced fighter community in the USAF for dealing with a high-volume drone and cruise missile threat. This is beyond the fact that the F-15E force is taking on a bigger counter-air role as the F-15C's inventory continues to dwindle. The Strike Eagles could also use their high endurance, large payload, and very capable sensor suite to detect and neutralize surface threats and provide non-traditional reconnaissance in the region surrounding the archipelago. It's also possible that these aircraft are indeed F-15Cs, which are also very well suited for the counter drone and cruise missile mission set. They bring some capabilities the F-15E doesn't have, including an infrared search and track (IRST) system. On the other hand, they would not be able to provide the air-to-surface capabilities that an F-15E contingent could. They could still provide limited reconnaissance support with the help of the Sniper targeting pods, though. While we do not know the intelligence or mission demand that triggered this relatively unprecedented force protection deployment to the island, if the potential threat picture at Diego Garcia is significant enough to warrant a fighter contingent, it highlights broader issues facing the Air Force and the rest of the U.S. military. Sending the six B-2s to Diego Garcia had added to an already heated debate about whether the U.S. military should be investing more in hardened aircraft shelters and other fortified infrastructure at key facilities globally. There are particular concerns about the vulnerability of airbases across the Indo-Pacific region during a potential future high-end fight with China. The airfield on Diego Garcia currently has just four specially designed B-2 shelters, which are not hardened. At Diego Garcia, 'we have multi-layered defense systems to ensure the security and protection of our personnel and equipment,' a spokesperson for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) had told TWZ in April. How long the U.S. military will continue to have a bolstered airpower presence at Diego Garcia, which now includes the F-15 detachment, remains to be seen. American authorities agreed to a ceasefire with Yemen's Houthis, brokered by the Omani government, last week. The United States and Iran are also currently engaged in negotiations over Iran's nuclear ambitions. U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled in the past that military action against Iranian nuclear sites, which could be carried out in part by bombers flying from Diego Garcia, could be on the table if those talks fail. This would heighten the need for force protection assets at Diego Garcia, as well as other U.S. facilities across the Middle East. Contact the author: joe@
