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Many B-2 Stealth Bombers Being Deployed Within Striking Distance of Iraq
Aired March 12, 2003 - 14:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to focus right here on this country right now. Two-hundred support troops are headed overseas this week. Many of America's B-2 stealth bombers are being deployed to bases within easy striking distance of Iraq.
Our Jeff flock has a live report from Whiteman Air Force base. He is in Missouri.
Jeff, hello once again.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Daryn, they're pretty open around this base, the folks we've talked to, about trying to send a message with the pictures. They've been very cooperative in letting us have some access and report on the forward deployment of the B-2 stealth bomber. Hopeful, folks on the base, that perhaps the message gets through to the Iraqi commanders on the ground about how serious the U.S. is, and perhaps causes them to have second thoughts about wanting to get into a battle.
But the hangars you see behind me are where the B-2s are contained. These are specially climate controlled hangars that are very important for the maintenance of the B-2. The stealth is a very sophisticated aircraft. If the space shuttle is the most sophisticated aircraft ever built, I think the B-2 is perhaps the second most. It really requires a lot of maintenance. It's now going to be forward deployed overseas.
And the question is, can it stand up to the same maintenance standards overseas and get the same attention as it does here at its home base?
I want to show you also what the B-2 is capable of. We've got some pictures that we took in January, at Nellis Air Force Base. This was a test of the munitions. You know, typically the B-2s fly at night. Stealth is, of course, very important for them, but they did this in the daylight, showing what it looks like to have the bomb bay doors open, and to have those laser-guided munitions, GPS-guided munitions be dropped. They can hit up to 16 separate targets on one mission. So a very, very powerful piece of the U.S. arsenal. In some sense, the last piece of the puzzle now being prepared to be put in place.
Daryn, we believe this deployment will take place very, very soon. No one here on base saying specifically when it will be, but all of the other pieces are in place. The gear has been loaded. The duffel bags are already loaded, and in some sense, already been forward deployed, so it is -- we believe perhaps within an hour, with an day.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
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Distance of Iraq>
Aired March 12, 2003 - 14:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to focus right here on this country right now. Two-hundred support troops are headed overseas this week. Many of America's B-2 stealth bombers are being deployed to bases within easy striking distance of Iraq.
Our Jeff flock has a live report from Whiteman Air Force base. He is in Missouri.
Jeff, hello once again.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Daryn, they're pretty open around this base, the folks we've talked to, about trying to send a message with the pictures. They've been very cooperative in letting us have some access and report on the forward deployment of the B-2 stealth bomber. Hopeful, folks on the base, that perhaps the message gets through to the Iraqi commanders on the ground about how serious the U.S. is, and perhaps causes them to have second thoughts about wanting to get into a battle.
But the hangars you see behind me are where the B-2s are contained. These are specially climate controlled hangars that are very important for the maintenance of the B-2. The stealth is a very sophisticated aircraft. If the space shuttle is the most sophisticated aircraft ever built, I think the B-2 is perhaps the second most. It really requires a lot of maintenance. It's now going to be forward deployed overseas.
And the question is, can it stand up to the same maintenance standards overseas and get the same attention as it does here at its home base?
I want to show you also what the B-2 is capable of. We've got some pictures that we took in January, at Nellis Air Force Base. This was a test of the munitions. You know, typically the B-2s fly at night. Stealth is, of course, very important for them, but they did this in the daylight, showing what it looks like to have the bomb bay doors open, and to have those laser-guided munitions, GPS-guided munitions be dropped. They can hit up to 16 separate targets on one mission. So a very, very powerful piece of the U.S. arsenal. In some sense, the last piece of the puzzle now being prepared to be put in place.
Daryn, we believe this deployment will take place very, very soon. No one here on base saying specifically when it will be, but all of the other pieces are in place. The gear has been loaded. The duffel bags are already loaded, and in some sense, already been forward deployed, so it is -- we believe perhaps within an hour, with an day.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Distance of Iraq>
