Trump sends US bombers to UK after warning Iran of ‘the big one’ | World | News
A Royal Air Force base is preparing for the arrival of US bombers armed to unleash devastation on Iran. Plane spotters have noticed a fleet of B-1 aircraft, capable of enforcing 34 tonnes of explosives, being transferred from Texas to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
The bombers, which cost up to $2 billion each, are coming from the Dyess Air Force Base and will join more stealth bombers at RAF Fairford. It comes as sources believe Donald Trump‘s mega-attack on Iran, dubbed the “big one”, is imminent. Some say it could come as soon as Saturday (March 7) – a week after the US and Irsael first struck Iran.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Trump recently warned Iran of a “big one”, adding that “we haven’t even started hitting them hard yet”. Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth, US defence secretary, said: “When we say more to come, it’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities, and it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.”
He confirmed overnight that the US will use British RAF bases to up its strikes on Iran. Meanwhile, deputy prime minister David Lammy also warned that RAF jets could be used to strike Iranian missile sites.
Experts believe the US could drop a 10-tonne explosive on Iran. The weapon, called the “Mother of All Bombs”, would create a 1,000ft crater when it explodes.
The B-1 bombers carry some of the world’s most devastating missiles and can strike without detection. The US Air Force says: “The B-1 is a highly versatile, multi-mission weapon system. The B-1B’s synthetic aperture radar is capable of tracking, targeting and engaging moving vehicles as well as self-targeting and terrain-following modes.”
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Sascha Bruchmann, a research fellow for defence at the office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Bahrain, told the Daily Telegraph: “The big one is a sustained bombing campaign via the strategic bomber fleet, so the B-1s, the B-2s and the B-52s.
“Last night, Centcom [US Central Command] said there was one B-1 bomber, and the night before there were four B-2s, who dropped heavier payloads, so 1,000 to 2,000lb bombs with some bunker-busting capabilities against those missile cities.
“Now that there’s air dominance achieved, and we’ve seen US Reaper drones over cities, which you wouldn’t have if there were some kind of air defences.”
Iain Ballantyne, editor of Warships International Fleet Review magazine, added: “The most obvious thing that President Trump may mean by ‘the big one’ is some kind of MOAB – the ‘Mother of All Bombs’.”
As well as the imminent arrival of bombers from the US, a temporary Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) has been put in place at RAF Fairford today (Friday, March 6). It will be in place for the next month, indicating the base will be busier than normal during this period.
A temporary TMZ is a short-term area of airspace where all aircraft must operate a functional transponder to enhance safety. It improves visibility without needed full controlled airspace.
Deputy prime minister David Lammy said UK aircraft were currently shooting down Iranian missiles and drones. He added that it would also be legal for them to strike the Iranian bases being used to launch attacks.
Meanwhile, defence secretary John Healey has not ruled out UK aircraft taking part in strikes on Iran. He said: “As circumstances in any conflict change, you’ve got to be willing to adapt the action you take.”
Mr Healey visited RAF Akrotiri, in Cyprus, this week in a bid to improve relations with the country. Sir Keir Starmer also announced that Britain is sending four Typhoon jets to Qatar.
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