The Fat Lady Hasn't Started Singing, But She's Tuning Up
Now that the major ground battles appear over in
Iraq and the focus seems to be shifting toward stabilizing the
country and providing much-needed humanitarian assistance, American
forces are beginning to withdraw their warplanes from the theater.
While the air campaign is far from over, its focus is shifting away
from heavy bombing toward protective air cover for ground troops
around Baghdad and in northern Iraq.
U-2 surveillance and reconnaissance missions, unmanned Predator
drones and other aircraft are continuing, and aerial refueling
aircraft are still very busy. Cargo aircraft, vital to humanitarian
missions in Iraq, are just beginning to arrive at places like the
newly-renamed Baghdad International Airport (formerly Saddam
International) and the al-Rashid Air Base on the east side of the
Iraqi capitol.
Heading Home, Job Well-Done
Vice Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of all naval
forces in the Iraq war, said over the weekend that two or three of
the five American aircraft carriers in or near the Persian Gulf
Iraq may soon head home. Each of the massive carriers has about 80
planes on board, including approximately 50 strike aircraft. He
said the USS Kitty Hawk, which has operated in the Gulf
since February, would likely be the first to leave, perhaps as soon
as "in a couple of days." The Kitty Hawk is based at
Yokosuka, Japan.
The USS Constellation, also in the Gulf and on its
final deployment, could well be the next to go, he said. Keating
said orders to send carriers and other forces home would have to
come from Gen. Tommy Franks, the war's overall commander. So far,
no such orders have been received.
B-2s Going Home As Well
The Air Force already has sent four B-2 stealth
bombers back home to Whiteman Air Force Base (MO), officials said.
They were based at Diego Garcia and Fairford Air Base in Great
Britain. Other B-2s flew roundtrip missions to Iraq from
Whiteman.
Keating said, as the bombing in Iraq slackens, the Navy will be
ready to reduce the number of carriers on duty and give sailors and
air crews time for a little R&R. "We're anxious to get those
folks back to their home ports as soon as we can."
In addition to the three aircraft carriers in the Gulf, the Navy
has used two in the eastern Mediterranean - the USS Harry S.
Truman and the USS Theodore Roosevelt, both based in
Norfolk (VA). Warplanes from those ships have primarily
concentrated on targets in northern Iraq. Keating said either the
Truman or the Roosevelt likely would be sent home
soon, but he didn't say which it would be. Still, Keating noted
that the Truman is on a regularly scheduled deployment,
whereas the Roosevelt had a shorter-than-usual turn-around
at its home before being sent to the Mediterranean back in
February.