Syria is used as a testing ground for new weapons by the United States？ 19 missiles were first used in actual combat.
CCTV News:On the grounds of the so-called "chemical weapons attack", the United States, Britain and France launched an air strike against Syria in the early morning of April 14, local time, when the investigation was inconclusive. For the details of this military strike, the US Department of Defense did not disclose too many details. However, the US "Defense News" disclosed a few days ago (No.14) that the United States, Britain and France used a variety of new weapons in the operation.
According to defense news reports, 57 Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched by US warships in the Red Sea. In the Mediterranean, John Warner, an American Virginia-class attack nuclear submarine, launched six Tomahawks, which was the first actual combat of Virginia-class submarines for many years. According to the defense news, two U.S. B-1B bombers taking off from Qatar military base fired 19 "extended-range air-to-surface missiles outside the joint defense zone", and the U.S. military has officially named them "AGM-158ER", which is the first time this missile has been used in actual combat.
US Navy "Virginia" class attack nuclear submarine(data map)
Us B-1B bomber (data map)
American-made AGM-158 air-to-ground missile outside the joint defense zone (data map)
The "Virginia" class attack nuclear submarine is the fourth generation attack nuclear submarine in active service of the US military. It is said that it can be competent for both ocean-going and offshore missions. In combat, it usually launches submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles. "AGM-158ER" missile is mainly used for long-distance air-to-ground cruise attack, which can accurately attack the moving targets on the ground, underground and at sea from outside the other side’s air defense zone.
At present, the US Department of Defense has not disclosed the specific weapon model. Some analysts believe that if the defense news report is true, Syria has been regarded as a testing ground for new weapons by the United States.
US media: Trump wants to hit Russian-Iranian facilities and is stopped
The US military said on the 14th that when planning a military strike against Syria, the US considered minimizing the threat to Russian troops stationed in Syria. According to a report quoted by the Wall Street Journal, US President Trump intended to crack down on Russian and Iranian facilities in Syria, and was finally stopped by officials such as Defense Minister Matisse.
Trump and Matisse (data map)
In the early morning of the 14th local time in Syria, the United States, Britain and France launched air strikes against Syria. Joseph dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, later confirmed that the operation had three targets, namely a facility near Damascus, the Syrian capital, which was regarded by the US as a chemical weapons research center, a facility west of Homs, which was regarded by the US as a chemical weapons warehouse, and a facility near Homs, which was regarded by the US as a chemical weapons equipment warehouse and command post. Dunford said that the US military used force against Syria and carefully avoided Russian military facilities in Syria.
Huntsman, the US ambassador to Russia, also said: "Before we took action, the United States got in touch with Russia, thus reducing the danger to Russians." However, according to the Wall Street Journal, there are actually three strike plans that were originally placed in front of Trump. The first one is to attack Syria’s chemical weapons-related facilities, and the second one has a wider target, including chemical weapons-related research institutions and military command centers. The third proposal proposes to simultaneously crack down on Russian air defense facilities in Syria.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump originally intended to attack Russian and Iranian facilities in Syria when necessary, but Matisse objected. In the end, the most conservative scheme was chosen. The New York Times also reported that Syrian government forces transferred some military equipment to Russian military bases in advance, but the Pentagon persuaded Trump to choose the most restrained plan in order to prevent Russian and Iranian intervention.