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Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
2. dry facts stated "The United States notified a number of countries, including Australia and Russia,
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 11:04 AM
Apr 2017

""The United States notified a number of countries, including Australia and Russia, hours in advance of the strike.[12][13][14] There were thought to be Russians at the airbase.[4] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike killed four soldiers, including a general, and damaged over a dozen hangars, a fuel depot, and an air defense base.[15][16] It was the first time President Trump used direct military force against powers faithful to Assad.[17]""

lot more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Shayrat_missile_strike

GreatCaesarsGhost

(8,585 posts)
4. I heard some one on msnbc say it wasn't necessary
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 11:11 AM
Apr 2017

because the holes are easily repaired with a couple bags of asphalt!!!!

hack89

(39,171 posts)
16. Emergency runway repair is easy
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 02:54 PM
Apr 2017

It is very hard to blast big holes in thick concrete runways. Military runways are engineered to be extremely hard to put out of action.

sarisataka

(18,913 posts)
6. Runways are very hard
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 11:17 AM
Apr 2017

to seriously damage and easily repaired. The facilities that support the airfield are much more effective targets.

OTH it is not like the Syrians only have one airbase. Within 24 hours they units based at the targeted base can be fully operational at a different base.

Javaman

(62,534 posts)
7. tRump to military...
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 12:05 PM
Apr 2017

"I need a bigly strike! Something yuuuuge! take out their ability to fly! but don't hit the run way..."

 

workinclasszero

(28,270 posts)
8. That wasn't a part of Putin's script
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 12:08 PM
Apr 2017

He just wanted to put on a 60 million dollar or so fireworks display to shore up BLOTUS 45 and his party.


hack89

(39,171 posts)
15. Can't really destroy runways with TLAMs
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 02:51 PM
Apr 2017

Need larger JDAMS dropped from altitude directly over target. Concrete runways are thick and tough - you need a lot of weight and kinetic energy to penetrate them.


hack89

(39,171 posts)
18. Manned airplanes were probably deemed too risky
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 02:59 PM
Apr 2017

It would have been a large strike with a lot of planes.

Besides, history shows that permanently destroying military runways is nearly impossible. They are engineered to be extremely tough to penetrate while being easy to repair.

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