CHESS: US positioning there chess piece around China

:coffee:

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii: Air Force officials are scheduled to deploy a squadron of F-22 Raptors to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of U.S. Pacific Command's Theater Security Package in the Western Pacific in early 2007.

This will be the first overseas deployment for the Air Force's newest fighter.

The F-22 is a transformational combat aircraft that is effectively invisible to threats, cruises at supersonic speeds, is highly maneuverable, and provides the joint force an unprecedented level of integrated situational awareness. As part of continuing force-posture adjustments to address worldwide requirements, the United States continues to deploy additional forces throughout the Western Pacific.

This is the latest example of the flexibility U.S. forces have to meet our ongoing commitments and security obligations throughout the Pacific region by maintaining a flexible and credible presence.

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Translation: US are positioning their chess pieces around China to either be ready or prevent China from asserting influence around Asia and to be on alert on possible invasion of Tawain.

Deploy a squadron of F-22 Raptors to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of U.S. Pacific Command's Theater Security Package in the Western Pacific in early 2007

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Meaning placing force in order to foresee China's action and be ready for future warfare with China. Placing the pieces around China is what the US is doing currently.
US have alliance with India, South Korea, Japan, Tawain. Now breaking this up US have the South section (India & Singapore) of China covered up, East section of China covered up (Tawain) North section (Japan and South Korea) now covered up. And soon the East section (Middle East) covered up. So US is boxing China in to prevent China from asserting influence to other nations and thus the US starts to loose control. In short the US feels threaten with China's growth and is either preventing or getting ready for the Red giant to pounce. :coffee:

This post: Discuss about the US positioning their forces, China counter action, etc.:china:

Why is it that whenever the US makes a deployment in Asia, it has to be about China? Sure China is a concern, but so is North Korea. Currently there is still way more chance of conflict breaking out between Pyongyang and Washington than with Beijing.

This post: Discuss about the US positioning their forces, China counter action, etc

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This deployment of the Raptor to the Pacific is no more than a normal deployment. The aircraft had to be deployed eventually. Did anyone really expect the US to keep the aircraft in the US? I for one did not.

Did you know that for the last several years the USAF has been deploying F-15 and Bomber squadrons to Andersen AFB in Guam? Actually the B-52 deployments have been ongoing for about 40 years.

The US forces have been in place and deploying on a rotational basis in the Pacific since the end of WWII. Those deployments will not end anytime soon.

With all the new stuff coming from China and operating in and over the straits, I could imagine that deployment to aim much more on unconventional ISR than strike capabilities.
The US may want to have an eye on that. The Blackbirds are out of service, the U-2s are slow, relativly easy to detect; the Global Hawk may be an option.
But anyway it would be a chance to test the Raptors systems.

The aircraft had to be deployed eventually.

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True, but then why Japan and not somewhere in the Middle East?

Vlad Plasmius said:

True, but then why Japan and not somewhere in the Middle East?

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Probally because there is no real threat to the US air power in the middle east. That same cannot be said about the Pacific.

Iran has the Phoenix missiles though. If anything ever happened with Iran, we'd need some F-22s.

Vlad Plasmius said:

Iran has the Phoenix missiles though. If anything ever happened with Iran, we'd need some F-22s.

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The IIAF(IAF) was delivered either 284 -r 279 AIM-54 Pheonix missiles in 1979. I wonder how many, if any, are left? Also did the Irainans clone the Pheonix? If so did they fit it for their new aircraft? According to this link the AIM-54 that Iran recieved were downgraded.

Also ponder this..Does the IAF have any Tomcats left that are able to fly strike missions?

The IIAF(IAF) was delivered either 284 -r 279 AIM-54 Pheonix missiles in 1979. I wonder how many, if any, are left? Also did the Irainans clone the Pheonix? If so did they fit it for their new aircraft? According to this link the AIM-54 that Iran recieved were downgraded.

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That attachment should answer your first and/or second question.

As for fitting it for their new aircraft, the Iranians have shown the capacity to adapt all kinds of weapons to all kinds of aircraft, such as outfitting American fighters with Russian weapons and radar.

The Iranians have also constantly upgraded their other missiles. I see no reason to think they would be doing the same to the Phoenix.

Also ponder this..Does the IAF have any Tomcats left that are able to fly strike missions?

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I don't think I was talking about that. I was talking about air defense.

Vlad Plasmius said:

That attachment should answer your first and/or second question.

As for fitting it for their new aircraft, the Iranians have shown the capacity to adapt all kinds of weapons to all kinds of aircraft, such as outfitting American fighters with Russian weapons and radar.

The Iranians have also constantly upgraded their other missiles. I see no reason to think they would be doing the same to the Phoenix.

I don't think I was talking about that. I was talking about air defense.

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My response was meant to stimulate the discussion. I'm sorry if there was an misunderstanding.

The problem with updating older stockpiles of missiles is the rocket motors. As rocket motors get older they have a tendenacy to develop cracks. Once the rocket motor has cracks it is useless because it will explode before it reaches the target.

If the Iranians do have any Pheonix missiles I bet they are some sort of updated clones. It would be very intersting to see the re-designed AIM-54 if it did indeed exist.