The B-1 that crashed today was just one of roughly 10 currently deployed to Al Udeid in Qatar to provide air cover for coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Al Udeid is the major forward base for big airplanes supporting the U.S. war operation. In this Google Maps snapshot you can see B-1s, RC-135 spy planes, E-8 radar planes and tankers. C-130s, C-17s and other “iron” are visible elsewhere on the sprawling base. Check it out.
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David, what do you think would happen if we lost a gunship? Mass panic and vehement comments of “I told you so”? I’m surprised that we haven’t lost one for quite a while, but that’s in thanks to the excellent support teams with the AC-130s.
I can’t really make it out, but do you think are gunships at Al Udeid?
The slender shadow jetting out at an angle on the left side of the planes seems to be from the 105mm howitzer on the AC-130s.
[...] First the Air Force said it was a “crash.” Then a spokesperson downgraded the incident to a fire that “was contained.” Now newspapers are reporting that last week’s accident involving a B-1 bomber at Al Udeid in Qatar was more serious: A spokesman for the Al Udeid Air Base told the Gulf Times that the Ellsworth [S.D.-based] B-1, which was landing after a combat mission, caught fire and the blaze set off the munitions onboard, leading to a series of explosions. [...]
There are NO gunships at “The Deid”
The “BONE” is a fire hazard anyway. It has caught fir due to braking problem for the past few years. That or “incidents” due to crew error; like FORGETING to put the gear down to land!!!