One of the main reasons for the creation of ground positional missile defense areas in the territories of the western states of the Arabian Peninsula, an element of which will also be the new air defense / missile defense control center in Qatar, is the absolute impossibility of the actions of "Aegis" ships of the US Navy from the Persian Gulf, which will be under full control of the Iranian fleet. Taking into account the likely escalation of the conflict between the Sunni "Arabian coalition", Israel, supported by the United States and the Shiite Islamic Republic of Iran (it may erupt on the basis of the same Houthis or independent actions of the Israeli leadership, dissatisfied with the progress of Iran's missile armament), you need to know that the tactical situation is here will be completely different from the one we remember during the "War in the Gulf". The Iraqi fleet, equipped with 9 outdated and poorly armed Yugoslavian patrol ships of the PB-90 type, 1 training frigate Ibn Marjid, 8 Project 205 RC, 1 RC project 1241RE, as well as Soviet road minesweepers and other auxiliary ships, is technically not could block the Strait of Hormuz, making it difficult for the OVMS of the anti-Iraqi coalition to approach the shores of Kuwait and Iraq. In addition, several other factors affected the constraint of the Iraqi Navy: the absence of a submarine component from the Varshavyanka class diesel-electric submarines, only one large naval base Umm Qasr, as well as primitive air defense systems that covered this base in 1991, from for which the fleet was destroyed in the very first hours after the outbreak of hostilities. The Iranian Navy controls the entire Persian Gulf, up to the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as most of the Gulf of Oman, including the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, with modern coastal SCRCs. At the very beginning of the military operation, the strait will turn into a "forbidden zone" for the coalition fleets, and the ultra-low-noise submarines of Project 877 "Halibut" (Iran has 3 of them) will move the American AUG to the southern part of the Gulf of Oman, where the anti-missile qualities of the Aegis will be useless in terms of defense. Saudi Arabia. Only "Patriots" and "THAADs" located in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates will be able to carry out the assigned tasks
Several of our reviews have repeatedly discussed the enormous importance for the United States and the West of maintaining significant strike and defensive capabilities of the countries of the "Arabian coalition", which are NATO's main bridgehead for maintaining control over Western and Central Asia, where the allied cooperation of Iran, Syria and of the CSTO countries is increasingly squeezing the imperial ambitions of the West from the region. The transfer to the Iranian Air Force of 4 anti-aircraft missile divisions of the S-300PMU-2 complexes, as well as a large-scale program for the development of medium-range ballistic missiles, led to numerous defense contracts between the countries of the Persian Gulf such as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, and the leading American aerospace giant. products, Boeing Corporation, for the purchase of tactical fighters of the transitional generation "4 + / ++" F-15E "Strike Eagle" and F-15SE "Silent Eagle", as well as with "Lockheed Martin" - for the modernization of existing versions of the F- 16C.
But the issue of protecting these states is already so acute that the sale of equipment for the Air Force alone was not enough, and Washington began a stage of active operational deployment, which in scale will soon surpass the period of the US presence in the region during the military operations in Iraq. The buildup of American forces in the countries of the western coast of the Persian Gulf is skillfully masked by the internal defense programs of these states, and is also overshadowed by the larger military-strategic disagreements between the Russian Federation and the United States in the Far East.
At the end of April 2016, at a joint press conference, Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi, who discussed the issue of interaction between states on resolving the situation in the hot currents of the world (Syria, Yemen) and Vladimir Putin's summer visit to China, condemned the plans US leadership on the deployment in South Korea of anti-missile systems of the regional top-line missile defense "THAAD". S. Lavrov accused Washington of militarizing Northeast Asia under the guise of the need to contain the missile threat from the DPRK. Although this question does not pose a strategic threat to our and Chinese Strategic Missile Forces in all aerospace sectors, it undoubtedly creates a significant tactical inconvenience for ballistic missiles that can be launched from the Far Eastern regions of states. The proximity of South Korea suggests that it is over its territory that the accelerating (most vulnerable to the THAAD missile defense system) section of the missile trajectory will pass. At the same time, for the PRC, the threat from this complex is hundreds of times higher than for us, since in the event of a global conflict, the trajectory of ballistic missiles launched at the United States will pass over South Korea and then over Japan. The United States is already insuring itself with two land lines of the regional missile defense (ROK and Korea), as well as sea lines in the Pacific Ocean (based on the Aegis). Also, the "South Korean THAAD" is being created to protect the future largest US Far Eastern military base in Pyeongtaek.
And against the background of these issues, a difficult "batch" quickly begins on the Arabian Peninsula. They say little about it, but the importance is from the category of the concentration of American missile carriers at the Australian Tyndall airbase, and maybe even higher.
The defense.gov resource published on May 6 the news of an increase of $ 29 million in the value of the contract with Qatar for the construction of an air defense and missile defense command center for a small Central Asian state. Complete the Raytheon Co. - Integrated Defense System”is planned for next summer. But why does little Qatar, which is "under the wing" of Saudi Arabia, need an air defense-missile defense command center in parallel with the plans to purchase the F-15E? After all, Qatar needs Strike Needles for self-sufficiency in carrying out operations in the Middle East theater of operations and throughout Asia Minor, and the layered missile defense system has the most narrowly expressed goals, with the help of which it is possible to find out the level of importance of the military, economic and geopolitical infrastructures defended in the country, as well as to determine coordination and interest of neighboring allied states. Concerning Qatar, the military-political picture around the construction of a missile defense position area with a command center is presented by a complex structure with a large number of interested parties.
The photo shows the refueling of a strategic ground targeting aircraft E-8C "J-STARS" of the US Air Force by the air transport tanker KC-135 "Stratotanker". These machines, during the aggravation of the military-political situation, are periodically transferred to the Arabian Peninsula to monitor the movements of ground forces and surface ships of the enemy, as well as to continuously provide aviation fuel to the "Arabian coalition" fighters on duty in the air, and their main airbase is the Qatari "El -Udaid. "E-8C "J-STARS" are also considered to be strategic air command posts (VKP) of the theater of operations, since the information received from its board about the tactical situation displays the clearest picture of what is happening on the earth's surface among any other reconnaissance means. Installed on the upgraded Boeing 707-300 two-way multifunctional radar with a phased-slot antenna array AN / APY-3 has a synthetic aperture mode and operates in the X-band of centimeter waves, which allows you to scan the earth's surface, with moving and stationary objects on it, with accuracy up to 10 m - 15 m. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) itself is a complex mixture of software and physical solutions related to the coherent principle of radar operation. Antenna arrays AN / APY-3, installed in a radio-transparent fairing-coque under the front fuselage "Joint STARS" have a length of about 7.3 meters. As the E-8C aircraft moves in space, the selected sector of the earth / sea surface is continuously scanned in the AN / APY-3 solid angle equal to 120 degrees. At the same time, the final radar image is not made up of a momentary radiated and reflected image from targets, but from the summation of a large number of similar sessions carried out every moment of time when the radar moves in space exactly the length of its own emitting aperture, this mode is also called “consistent”. So, if the cruising speed of the E-8C is 850 km / h (236 m / s), then in just 1 second, a radar image is formed from 32 AN / APY-3 scanning sessions, corresponding in resolution to a 236-meter phased-slot antenna array, which is tens of times higher than the SAR mode of the small antenna array of the AN / APG-81 radar of the F-35A fighter. The photographic quality of the J-STARS radar images is also achieved by the fact that the radar provides a lateral view of the surface, which means that each new session is done from a new angle relative to the tracked target in azimuth. This makes it possible to classify a ground unit or structure at ranges up to 250 km directly by its EPR and the image on the radar picture, even in the case of its radio silence, in the most difficult meteorological conditions. Side-looking airborne radars have the most important tactical advantage: during theater monitoring, there is no need to approach enemy missile-hazardous areas, the E-8C can patrol at a huge distance from the target, flying around 250 km, and the threat can only come from the most long-range C-type air defense systems. -400 "Triumph", covering this distance, but only a few states have these systems (Russia, China, later - India). Such a zealous creation of the Qatari air defense / missile defense center may also indicate that the US Air Force is not considering the possibility of leaving the El Udeid air base in the event of a conflict with Iran, since the work of the E-8C Joint STARS requires a constant operational presence in close proximity to enemy territory for timely receipt of information without any delay
Indeed, Doha today has something and from whom to defend. First, the country is the main sponsor of IS, Al-Qaeda. And the latter, as you know, acts against the Yemeni Houthis from "Ansar-Allah", which means in favor of the entire "Arabian coalition" and the United States. Doha spends billions of dollars to support these movements and, of course, trains militants in special institutions and training grounds. Secondly, it is the American air base "El Udeid", from which strategic aviation operates and on which the headquarters of the US Central Command and the US Air Force Command is located. Thirdly, this is the American attack helicopter aviation, which will be discussed in the second half of the article, which is preparing to be transferred to southern Yemen. It is also clear that in the Qatari air defense and missile defense center under construction, most of the operator officers will be represented by highly qualified American military personnel, not Qatari personnel.
Nothing is known about the radar and anti-aircraft missile systems attached to this center, but it will not be difficult to assume that the Pentagon will be deployed here. Qatar is located on the central part of the Persian Gulf coast and juts out into the gulf in the form of a small peninsula. This makes Qatar a unique forward base for the deployment of Patriot PAC-2/3 systems, as well as the anti-missile THAAD, which will be able to cover US military facilities and protect most of the eastern airspace of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The missile defense system in Qatar will very quickly turn into the central link of the identification zone of the air defense of the Arabian Peninsula, the borders of which will confidently (close) reach the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The deployment of the northern link of the new air defense formation is to be expected in Kuwait, and the southern link in the Gulf of Oman (based on the EM and RCR of the Aegis system). Thus, the US Armed Forces, Navy and Air Force will try to create here a strategic boundary line with Iran, similar to that which is now observed in the South China, East China and Japan Seas. The command of the American Armed Forces hopes for a full-fledged defense of the vital Arabian Peninsula from Iranian ballistic missiles of the Sajil family (range of about 2000 km), as well as strategic cruise missiles Mescat (also 2000 km), designed on the basis of the Kh-55SM purchased in Ukraine. Of course, it will not hold back a full-fledged Iranian strike, but it is quite capable of significantly weakening it in order to preserve the "Arabian bridgehead". The Americans are trying with all their might to preserve their interests here.
In addition, the US Armed Forces launched an operation to transfer special forces, as well as attack and attack transport helicopters to provide direct support to the troops at the Yemeni military base "Al-Anad", located in the southern province of Lahij. The dispatch of 100 US troops to Yemen, as well as support in the form of 15 Apache and 5 Black Hawk helicopters, became known on May 7, 2016 from a publication on the al-Khabar resource. According to the official version, the American contingent was transferred to the southern part of Yemen to destroy the al-Qaeda formations. But the real goal is completely different, because Al-Qaeda is working from the territory of Saudi Arabia against the Yemeni organization of the Houthis (Shiites-Dzeidis) Ansar-Allah, i.e. practically on the side of the West. And therefore, the conclusion here is unambiguous: the priority of the US Armed Forces is a plan for large-scale military support of the Arabian army and government forces of Yemen in the confrontation with the Houthis, since the situation is shifting in favor of the latter, especially after the clearing of the Umalik military base, and the first days of May were characterized by significant progress in the displacement of Al-Qaeda by the Houthis from the cities of Jaar and Zinjibar, which is not good for the Saudis.
The Tochka-U and Elbrus operational-tactical missile systems used by the Yemeni Houthis have already shown the Saudis who is the boss in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula: several powerful strongholds in the southern provinces of Saudi Arabia were destroyed with a contingent from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and etc. Anti-aircraft missile systems "Patriot PAC-2/3" were able to intercept a very limited number of these, despite the fact that the Pentagon is always generous to Riyadh, supplying the highest quality defensive weapons in large enough volumes: which cost alone 70 F- 15S (recently demonstrating 16 air-to-air missiles each), as well as 5 E-3A AWACS aircraft, capable of tracking these OTBRs from the moment they left the launcher in Yemen. The US Armed Forces were seriously alarmed by transferring their Apaches to the Al-Anad airbase controlled by the Hadi troops in southern Yemen. After all, "Ansar Allah", seizing daily a huge amount of modern captured weapons from the Saudis, has every chance to develop an offensive operation in the eastern part of Yemen, breaking through the defense of the "Arabian coalition" and the government forces of Yemen in the area of the city of Al-Hazm, and then squeezing out "Al- Kaidu”from Tarim and the Habshiya mountains. As a result, the Houthis may move to the area of the Mahrat mountains, which will become a real "sentence" for the most important strategic facility of the US Air Force in Western Asia. From the Makhrat mountains, firing lines of destruction by the Elbruses of the American airbase of operational interaction in Oman Tumrayt are opening. Information about this object appears very rarely, but it is known that a significant number of American tactical fighters are based on it, as well as more than 20 thousand personnel at attached military facilities located on the coast near the Gulf of Aden, as well as at the Al- Masira "on the eponymous island of Masira. AvB Tumright is located at 480 meters above sea level, and the runway is 4 km long, which allows you to receive and send loaded vehicles and equipment "Hercules" and even giants C-5A-M "Galaxy", and patrol anti-submarine P-8A Poseidon aircraft that control the Indian Ocean and tanker aircraft with strategic bombers. The US Armed Forces command considers Tumwright to be the “central nervous system” in ensuring prompt and safe transport links between the NATO Air Forces contingent and the NATO Naval Forces in Europe and the main foothold of the 5th US Navy Fleet at a base near Manama (Bahrain). The runway of the Al-Masira airbase is shorter (3 km), but it has its own advantage: only 2.5 km away there are 2 large berthing facilities, through which various necessary equipment can be quickly loaded onto US Navy ships, or promptly delivered landing units
Now, in detail about the most probable range of tasks assigned to the pilots of 15 Apaches. It is known that the significant success of Ansar Allah, supported by Iran and the DPRK, is also achieved thanks to the skillful use of the Tochka-U and Elbrus operational-tactical missile systems, which managed to destroy many military facilities of the Arabian coalition, in particular, large storage arsenals of artillery ammunition in the province of Marib. Also, the sophisticated anti-tank tactics of the Houthis made it possible to fight even the Saudi M1A2 Abrams at the expense of the correctly chosen firing angles towards the advancing units. The vaunted American MBTs are destroyed even by obsolete "Fagots" and "Metis" in the side armor plates of the hull and turret.
Attack helicopters "Apache" (on the top photo modification of the AH-64D "Apache Longbow") and UH-60 "Black Hawk" (bottom photo) were transferred to the air base "Al-Anad" from the board of the battleship "Indiana", which was in Red Sea. The role of the Apaches will be described in detail below, but why are there also 4 Black Hawks? The multipurpose vehicle allows conducting limited assault special operations behind enemy lines, as well as providing fire support to infantrymen using the M2 Browning heavy machine guns installed on board the helicopter. Knowing about the weak air defense of the Houthis, the US Armed Forces will use helicopters to destroy various Ansar Allah military installations, which may later move into eastern Yemen and pose a threat to the US Air Force military installations in Oman
Apaches are capable of playing a role in undermining the combat stability of Ansar Allah, hunting Houthi mobile launchers 9P129M-1 (Tochka-U) and 9P117M (Elbrus). Attack helicopters AH-64A / D from the military base "Al-Anad" (slightly south of the Houthi-controlled territory) are able to carry out covert strike operations throughout the southwestern part of Yemen due to a range of over 350 km. The ultra-low-altitude approach of Apaches to targets can pose a huge danger to the Ansar Allah army units due to the fact that they have neither modern radar and optical-electronic warning systems, nor any type of aviation reconnaissance equipment. The question may spontaneously arise: why the US Air Force and Navy do not speed up events, as it was in Iraq and Yugoslavia, do not launch hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Houthi strongholds, do not “forge” “MK-shkami” from the B-52H “Stratofortress "and B-2" Spirit ", do not plant a perfectly prepared ILC, etc.?
And the answer is very simple: there is absolutely no interest in this. The low-intensity conflict on a very small but very hot "heel" of Yemen is very beneficial to the White House, and attacks on the Saudi Arabian army are also beneficial. By sending shock Apaches there, the US Armed Forces can quickly solve their main task - to eliminate the threat of ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabian airbases, which will always be the main tidbit for the United States, in addition to oil. The conflict itself will continue, and the US military will be present in Yemen "for show", creating a kind of support for the "Arabian coalition". Saudi Arabia itself, as practice has shown, will do absolutely nothing with the Houthis, and, on pain of losing its own territories, will need constant American military support, which will not allow the main Central Asian kingdom to dictate any conditions that seem to the West not very profitable. The United States has shackled the peninsula hand and foot, and the situation is not expected to change.
There is a tendency for the West to gradually form military-strategic "poles", slowly closing the circle around Russia and its allies in the Far East, in all parts of Asia and Europe, including ocean theaters. For this purpose, the naval exercises between the United States, India and Japan "Malabar", exercises in the Black Sea with the fleets of Turkey and Romania are held, and for a "snack" - the US-Georgian military exercises "Noble Partner - 2016", which started on May 11 near the Vaziani military base. More than 1,300 US, British and Georgian servicemen take part in them, as well as more than 10 M1A2 "Abrams" MBTs and a number of M2 "Bradley" infantry fighting vehicles. Such exercises on Vaziani are a regular activity, but the current technopark is of real interest.
"Abrams" and "Bradleys" on Georgian territory are a clear indicator that the US Army is studying the relief and type of ground in the Caucasus to gain sufficient experience in the conduct of probable hostilities in this region, which in another, shorter statement ("development of the territory of Georgia"), was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. And this is just the beginning.
