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http://www.debka.com/article/26004/US-Air-Force-to-quit-Incirlik-move-to-Syria-base
I was interested but not-too surprised that the US has decided to move assets from the Incirlik
US Air Force to quit Incirlik, move to Syria. It makes sense to me that we are building a big new air base in northern Syria after completing the expansion of another four situated in the Syrian borderland with Iraq.
I am glad that President Trump seesm to have a three-pronged strategy which "aims at a) fighting Islamist terror; b) blocking Iran’s land and air access to Syria; and c) providing the enclaves of the Syrian Kurdish-PYD-YPG with a military shield against the Turkish army."
April 8, 2017, 7:28 PM (IDT)
Several US engineering teams are working round the clock to build a big new air base in northern Syria after completing the expansion of another four. They are all situated in the Syrian borderland with Iraq,
This was going on over the weekend as senators, news correspondents and commentators were outguessing each other over whether the US missile attack on the Syrian Shayrat air base Friday, in retaliation for the Assad regime’s chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun, was a one-off or the start of a new series.
As the White House parried those questions, the Trump administration was going full steam ahead on the massive project of preparing to pull US air force units out of the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, in active American use since 2002. Those units were in the middle of a big moving job to the five new and expanded air bases in Syria. Their hub is to be Tabqa, which is just 40km west of the Islamic State’s Syrian capital, Raqqa. The other five are Hajar airport in the Rmelan region, two small air fields serving farm transport in Qamishli, which have been converted to military us; and a fifth in the Kurdish Kobani enclave north of Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border.
Tabqa is also becoming the main assembly-point for the joint US, Kurdish, tribal Arab force that is coming together in readiness for a major charge on Raqqa.
When the work is finished, the rising complex of air bases will enable America to deploy twice as many warplanes and helicopters in Syria as the Russians currently maintain.
The site of the Tabqa air field was captured as recently as late March by the Syrian Democratic Force (Kurdish-Arab fighters) which were flown in and dropped there by the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command. It was quickly dubbed “Incirlik 2” or “Qayyarah-2” after the US command center running the Iraqi military offensive against ISIS in Mosul.
Tabqa is designed to accommodate the 2,500 US military personnel housed at Incirlik. Like the Americans, the German Bundeswehr is also on the point of quitting Incirlik and eying a number of new locations in Cyprus and Jordan. The Germans are pulling out over the crisis in their relations with Ankara. The Americans are quitting because President Donald Trump wants to chill US ties with Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan and cooperation with the Turkish army.
The five US bases in Syria are part of Trump’s three-pronged strategy which aims at a) fighting Islamist terror; b) blocking Iran’s land and air access to Syria; and c) providing the enclaves of the Syrian Kurdish-PYD-YPG with a military shield against the Turkish army. "
Image: Tabkah Air Field Map
I was interested but not-too surprised that the US has decided to move assets from the Incirlik
US Air Force to quit Incirlik, move to Syria. It makes sense to me that we are building a big new air base in northern Syria after completing the expansion of another four situated in the Syrian borderland with Iraq.
I am glad that President Trump seesm to have a three-pronged strategy which "aims at a) fighting Islamist terror; b) blocking Iran’s land and air access to Syria; and c) providing the enclaves of the Syrian Kurdish-PYD-YPG with a military shield against the Turkish army."
April 8, 2017, 7:28 PM (IDT)
Several US engineering teams are working round the clock to build a big new air base in northern Syria after completing the expansion of another four. They are all situated in the Syrian borderland with Iraq,
This was going on over the weekend as senators, news correspondents and commentators were outguessing each other over whether the US missile attack on the Syrian Shayrat air base Friday, in retaliation for the Assad regime’s chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun, was a one-off or the start of a new series.
As the White House parried those questions, the Trump administration was going full steam ahead on the massive project of preparing to pull US air force units out of the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, in active American use since 2002. Those units were in the middle of a big moving job to the five new and expanded air bases in Syria. Their hub is to be Tabqa, which is just 40km west of the Islamic State’s Syrian capital, Raqqa. The other five are Hajar airport in the Rmelan region, two small air fields serving farm transport in Qamishli, which have been converted to military us; and a fifth in the Kurdish Kobani enclave north of Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border.
Tabqa is also becoming the main assembly-point for the joint US, Kurdish, tribal Arab force that is coming together in readiness for a major charge on Raqqa.
When the work is finished, the rising complex of air bases will enable America to deploy twice as many warplanes and helicopters in Syria as the Russians currently maintain.
The site of the Tabqa air field was captured as recently as late March by the Syrian Democratic Force (Kurdish-Arab fighters) which were flown in and dropped there by the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command. It was quickly dubbed “Incirlik 2” or “Qayyarah-2” after the US command center running the Iraqi military offensive against ISIS in Mosul.
Tabqa is designed to accommodate the 2,500 US military personnel housed at Incirlik. Like the Americans, the German Bundeswehr is also on the point of quitting Incirlik and eying a number of new locations in Cyprus and Jordan. The Germans are pulling out over the crisis in their relations with Ankara. The Americans are quitting because President Donald Trump wants to chill US ties with Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan and cooperation with the Turkish army.
The five US bases in Syria are part of Trump’s three-pronged strategy which aims at a) fighting Islamist terror; b) blocking Iran’s land and air access to Syria; and c) providing the enclaves of the Syrian Kurdish-PYD-YPG with a military shield against the Turkish army. "
Image: Tabkah Air Field Map
ISIS
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Edited 7 y ago
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 9
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LTC Stephen F. - Source? Under what legal authority? With whose funding? How does anyone plan to defend this proposed Infrastructure investment against Syrian, Iraqi, ISIL, Daesh, etc, and Russian threats -- without triggering World War III ??? This base was captured on 3/26/2017 and is presently under nominal control of the Kurdish SDF / Arab / Assyrian Militias -- not the US -- and this could change at any time. The base is easily within range of Syrian OTR-21 Tochka / SS-21 Scarab TBMs -- so it is really not very defensible. Quite frankly, while Tabqa had a single decent concrete 9842 x 131 foot primary runway - US / Coalition Forces destroyed all of the supporting structures and punched a lot of holes in the primary and secondary runways. ISIL also did their level best to completely disable / destroy the primary and secondary runways. While the SDF commander may be effectively saying come and get it -- Tabqa AFB is not at all operational - requiring extensive repairs to runway surfaces, new fuel reservoirs and distribution system, electrical generators and distribution system, runway lights, NAVAIDs (TACAN/ILS), air traffic control tower, revetments, hangers, munitions bunkers, support / maintenance buildings, quarters, mess facilities, and perimiter security structures before it can be considered minimally operational. Maybe you can run some rotary / VTOL aircraft out of this facility - but Tabqa is a long way from handling fast movers, JSTARS / C4I, major cargo transports, or ground attack aircraft. Warmest Regards, Sandy :)
CSM Charles Hayden PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
CSM Charles Hayden PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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Sir this would be one HELL of a bad mistake after the last week we've had with the Russians. IF we did that with our relations with the Russians, the Kurds, the Turks, and damn near everyone else, with this move would put us on an island with all the sharks around us. Not a fan of this "so-called" alliance with Turkey, but there is a bit of control we can exercise there, but not in Syria. Stay OUT of Syria. We already have our plates overflowing as is. We would really destabilize the region if we put BOG, and how long before others notice how thin we are and start taking cracks on Israel? Personally I don't care, but since everyone wants to "pledge support" for them, I guess using me as example my opinion would mean nothing compared to those who value Israel's safety over the safety of our own troops. I do not "stand" with Israel or any other foreign nation except Texas and California. I stand with America, will do what I can for her, and prepare for BOHICA when it comes and it WILL come.
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I wouldn't give too much Credence to that Phrase "Move AF Resources to Syria" at this Point but Moving out of Incirlik at this Point makes sense. Incirlik was a Great Place to Spy on the Russians on during the Cold War and Doubly So after we had to shut down our Operations in Iran. Now if I have to choose between Incirlik and Protecting an Intellectual like Gulen, I would tell Turkey to Pack Sand on the Rent Check, We're Moving. Call Me a Romantic if You Must.
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When I worked in the strategic planning "areas" in the Pentagon [2001 to 2008] I found DEBKA provided information which frequently dovetailed with some of our sensitive sources. Our sources tended to provide some additional details.
The Kurdish controlled areas are much more stable than Iraq and Syria. The Kurds were our only allies during the no-fly zone enforcement between Desert Storm and OIF.
The Kurdish Peshmerga have been much more supportive for us than the Turks have been. We had problems at Incirlik when the attempted coup took place last year in Turkey.
The image certainly does include Taqba which is being modified, most likely.
The other five are Hajar airport in the Rmelan region, two small air fields serving farm transport in Qamishli, which have been converted to military us; and a fifth in the Kurdish Kobani enclave north of Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border.
I trust my friends and classmates Gen Joe Votel [CENTCOM] and GEN Tony Thomas [SOCOM] as they ... in that AOR.
LTC John Shaw LTC Greg Henning LTC Stephen C. CPT Gabe Snell