Much Much interesting info here. Two of the most interesting things:
As of 8 AM (eastern) on February 27, 2003 there were roughly 10 civilian aircraft at Fort Campbell preparing to transport the first elements of the 101st Airborne Division from the United States to Kuwait... Elements of the 509th Bomb Wing have received orders to deploy to a forward location in preperation for a war against Iraq, according to Reuters on February 27. It is not clear when the deployment will take place or how many aircraft will be involved but previous reports indicate that roughly 12-16 aircraft are to be made available and that multiple aircraft could be located at Diego Garcia, more than the two shelters that are available...
That second item has particular gravity, in my opinion. There are, I believe, two of the special hangars at Diego Garcia and two in Britian. (And I think a couple more under construction on Guam.) The B-2 has problems with weather.
Testing indicated that B-2s are also sensitive to extreme climates, water, and humidity — exposure to water or moisture can damage some of the low-observable enhancing surfaces on the aircraft. Further, exposure to water or moisture that causes water to accumulate in aircraft compartments, ducts, and valves can cause systems to malfunction. If accumulated water freezes, it can take up to 24 hours to thaw and drain. Air Force officials said it is unlikely that the aircraft's sensitivity to moisture and climates or the need for controlled environments to fix low-observability problems will ever be fully resolved, even with improved materials and repair processes. Therefore, if B-2s are to be deployed, some form of aircraft sheltering at a forward operating location will likely become a requirement in the future.
The "vacancy" lights are off after 4 B-2s. So 8-12 B-2s are going to be "outside", and they can't be "outside" for long. I really wonder if all of this info should be gathered together like this. |