Syria crisis: Cruise missiles most likely weapon if U.S. attacks Syria
- 11 years ago
Originally published on August 30, 2013
As the United States and some of its allies ponder military strikes against Syria in response to the Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people, the most likely scenario would be to launch cruise missiles from U.S. ships in the Mediterranean in a campaign that would last days, analysts say.
Reuters reports that the U.S. has four guided missile destroyers armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Gravely, the USS Barry, the USS Ramage and the USS Mahan. Each ship can carry a maximum of 90 to 96 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The U.S. also has 58 submarines that can launch cruise missiles, including four guided missile submarines that can each carry up to 154 cruise missiles, Reuters reports. The U.S. Navy does not disclose the location of its submarines, but according to the BBC the U.S. probably has one missile-firing submarine in the eastern Mediterranean.
The U.S. can also launch cruise missiles from B-1 bombers and perhaps F-22 Raptor fighters based in Qatar, B-2 stealth bombers based in Missouri and B-52H Stratofortress bombers based on the British island territory Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. A single B-2 can launch 16 satellite-guided JASSM, or Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles. B-52s can carry up to 12 AGM-129 cruise missiles on external pylons on each wing.
--------------------------------------------------------
TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world.
For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS
Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsUS
Stay connected with us here:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
Google+ http://gplus.to/TomoNewsUS
As the United States and some of its allies ponder military strikes against Syria in response to the Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people, the most likely scenario would be to launch cruise missiles from U.S. ships in the Mediterranean in a campaign that would last days, analysts say.
Reuters reports that the U.S. has four guided missile destroyers armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Gravely, the USS Barry, the USS Ramage and the USS Mahan. Each ship can carry a maximum of 90 to 96 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The U.S. also has 58 submarines that can launch cruise missiles, including four guided missile submarines that can each carry up to 154 cruise missiles, Reuters reports. The U.S. Navy does not disclose the location of its submarines, but according to the BBC the U.S. probably has one missile-firing submarine in the eastern Mediterranean.
The U.S. can also launch cruise missiles from B-1 bombers and perhaps F-22 Raptor fighters based in Qatar, B-2 stealth bombers based in Missouri and B-52H Stratofortress bombers based on the British island territory Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. A single B-2 can launch 16 satellite-guided JASSM, or Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles. B-52s can carry up to 12 AGM-129 cruise missiles on external pylons on each wing.
--------------------------------------------------------
TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world.
For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS
Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsUS
Stay connected with us here:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
Google+ http://gplus.to/TomoNewsUS