Bakcfires

[djoos5]

Did (or would) the Soviets ever stage Backfires out of any non-Soviet bases (i.e. Syria, Libya, or other ally base)?

I am re-tooling one of my scenarios to bring it up to date with the new CMANO features, but in the process I am re-thinking the logistics.

Any help is appreciated.

DJ

[Dysta]

Maybe the Cuban Missile Crisis can give you a hint?

[mikmykWS]

Read this from page 88. Lots of good info on where in the world the bases were and what the patrol zones. Not much mention of Backfires though.

You need a long runway and ramp space but also storage for those big missiles.

San Antonio Los Banos in Cuba seems prime because of the Bear support facilities there but politics has played a role in them not being there. Late 70's sources mention a base in Cienfuegos as well (assume near the sub port to support it). A in port logistics ship could actually act as a magazine of sorts until one is actually constructed on site.

There is also a lot of mention of Nicaragua as a possible location although that never panned out. Hueves seems to come up a lot. Assume Libya, Yemen, Eritrea/Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique and Guinea could of all staged them.

In the modern era Venezuela might be a good place too.

Mike

[djoos5]

You guys rock!

Thanks for the insight - especially the PDF link, Mike!

DJ

[magi]

delete

[airwinger63]

For a nice "What if" how about Grenada?

Airwinger63

[SSN754planker]

A backfire deployment to Cuba would have at the least got Cuba invaded and bombed. The Us government considered them strategic bombers and had them included in arms control treaties. Deploying them to Cuba or Nicaragua would have certainly started a fight.

But this is CMANO so go for it!

[cf_dallas]

Awesome resource for... say... a 1984 Cold War series.

[DWReese]

I believe that one of the discussed plans during the Cold War involved the Soviet Union seizing the island of Iceland. From there, they could be much closer to strike the US. There really isn't much of a defense at Iceland, but it is one heck of a great strategic base from which to deploy attacks.

Even today, it is still very valuable as a base--but a lousy place to live. <G>

Doug

[Zaslon]

ORIGINAL: SSN754planker

A backfire deployment to Cuba would have at the least got Cuba invaded and bombed. The Us government considered them strategic bombers and had them included in arms control treaties. Deploying them to Cuba or Nicaragua would have certainly started a fight.

But this is CMANO so go for it!

A Backfire deployment to Cuba, surely is an escalation in the same terms or greater than the deployment of IRBMs in Turkey (this event triggered the cuban missile crysis)...But Cuba was under the Soviet umbrella...Start a Third World War only because a bunch of Backfires where deployed in Cuba have no sense for me.

[mikmykWS]

It would be interesting to see if a Backfire Regiment could penetrate the US. Lot of those reserve and ANG units would get used as well which gives us a bit of a return in building them.

[SSN754planker]

Florida would be an exciting place to live.

[DWReese]

NAS Key West and Homestead AFRB would be first in line. Homestead is about 130 miles north of Key West.

NAS Key West is actually located a few miles east of Key West on what is called Boca Chica key. It is a training base for F-18s, but is defended F-5s. Military ships also dock in Key west.

Homestead AFRB is now just a Reserve Base (as you can tell from the name) after Hurricane Andrew. It is defended by F-16Cs.

After that, going up the state, the next bases are in the central part of the state.

If you want to blow stuff up, and cause havoc, the nuclear power plant in Homestead (called Turkey Point) is about five miles to the SE of the AFRB. It might make an interesting target.

Have fun.

[Dysta]

Looks like I've successfully baited this thread to 'Cuban Backfire Crisis'... yay... I guess?

[travcrouse]

My F/A-18 squadron was training at NAS Key West in Sep 1993. A pair of F-16's were kept on the apron at the ready, fully armed and protected by a laser perimeter and armed guards. We were told to stay the hell away from them.
On Sept 19th a Cuban MiG-21 came roaring over the runway and landed without incident and without the F-16's ever getting off the ground. The pilot of the MiG asked for asylum and for a couple hours the MiG was left "unsupervised" and we got to climb all over it, inspect it and take photos with it. Ha!

[magi]

^^^ Well that's really cool......

[Vici Supreme]

Indeed, that's a cool story! [8D]

[mikmykWS]

Very cool

Mike