00:00In the immediate aftermath of massive Iranian missile strikes against Israel,
00:04a ripple effect was felt across the globe. The order came from the highest levels,
00:08raised the combat alert status across all branches of the United States military.
00:12Within hours, the machinery of war was moving.
00:15At airbases across the country, the scene shifted from routine to rapid deployment.
00:19At one airfield, Marines filed onto buses and were transported directly to a waiting C-17 Globemaster.
00:25On the tarmac, forklifts and cargo handlers worked in tandem,
00:28loading everything a fighting force needs to sustain itself, pallets of ammunition,
00:33portable generators, communications gear, and medical supplies.
00:37All of it was secured inside the cargo bay, right alongside the troops.
00:41This scene was repeated at multiple installations.
00:44At one base, armored vehicles' tactical buggies and heavy ramps were driven directly up the ramps of
00:49other C-17s and chained into plays. On a separate flight line, the focus was on airpower.
00:54Maintenance crews scrambled to prepare fighter jets for what would be sustained combat operations.
00:59Every aircraft underwent a meticulous inspection. Avionics were checked.
01:04Radar systems tested. Ordnance teams loaded missiles onto winter rails,
01:08and guided bombs onto pylons. Fuel systems were topped off.
01:12By the time the sun began to set, every aircraft was cleared to fly.
01:15As dusk settled in, the soldiers themselves moved out. Forming into columns,
01:19they marched toward their assigned aircraft. Duffel bags in hand, they climbed the ramps and took
01:24their seats inside the cavernous C-17s. There was no talk of a short rotation. These troops were
01:30heading to the Middle East for an unknown duration. There was no return date on the calendar.
01:34The ramps closed, and one by one, the aircraft taxied and took off, disappearing into the darkening sky.
01:40Hours later, those same aircraft hatched down at a base in the Middle East.
01:44The moment the wheels hit the tarmac, the pace accelerated.
01:47Ramps dropped. Soldiers disembarked directly onto the flight line. Vehicles were unchained
01:52and driven off. Forkliffers pulled out cargo pallets. There was no time to waste.
01:57These planes would soon turn around and fly back to pick up more.
02:00For the soldiers now on the ground, this base was home for the foreseeable future.
02:04They gathered their gear and headed to their assigned quarters.
02:06The buildup was just beginning, and more flights were already inbound.
02:10Out on the flight line, the work never stopped.
02:13Ground crews toiled around the clock under the glare of floodlights.
02:16Fuel trucks moved from jet to jet, pumping JP-8 kerosene into their tanks.
02:21Weapons teams followed close behind, hoisting missiles and guided bombs onto the wings.
02:26Each weapon was connected to the aircraft's electronics.
02:29Its data link confirmed.
02:30Red safety pins were left in place,
02:32a stark visual reminder that the moment to remove them was close at hand.
02:36The process repeated for every fighter on the line.
02:39Fuel.
02:39Weapons.
02:40Flight controls.
02:41Engines.
02:42One aircraft after another, all moving through the same sequence.
02:45By the time the pilots arrived for their P.I. flight briefing,
02:49every jet on that ramp was fuelled, armed, and ready.
02:52The United States military had answered the call, and the message was clear.
02:56They were prepared for what came next.
02:58Closed染.
02:581일
02:582 2 3
Comments