British media: U.S. military pilots flew to Iran while on drugs

AI question: How do Europe’s no-fly restrictions increase the difficulty of U.S. military operations?

Reference News Network April 6 report According to a report on the website of the British newspaper The Times on April 5, when U.S. military aircrews fly their aircraft from bases in the United Kingdom to carry out combat operations over Iran, they rely on modafinil tablets (a central nervous system stimulant drug, mainly used to treat narcolepsy—this outlet’s note) to stay alert during long-distance flights.

The report states that during World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots tasked with night bombing missions used amphetamines to stay awake, while modafinil was considered a safer alternative. Because the route is longer and requires multiple in-flight refuelings, U.S. military aircrews often need up to 18 hours of long-distance flights; these tablets can help them stay awake during the journey.

Spain’s broad no-fly order, as well as flight restrictions imposed by France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Austria on certain military aircraft, has left U.S. commanders troubled. The U.S. military has had to change its flight routes and take detours.

For U.S. B-1B and B-52 bombers taking off from the Royal Air Force Fairford base in the United Kingdom, if they fly directly through the airspace of France, Italy, and Greece over the Mediterranean to reach their combat locations in Iraq or Turkey, the round-trip flight time is only 10.5 hours—this also includes the time for four in-flight refuelings.

By contrast, using longer southern detour routes not only means a longer flight time, but also requires the bombers to perform eight 45–50 minute precision flight segments in order to connect with the tankers for refueling.

The report points out that the United States’ war against Iran relies heavily on long-range air power and sustained logistical support, and that Europe’s restrictions increase the complexity of operations. Spain took tough action on the grounds that the U.S. military operation this time is illegal, further complicating the issue. The Morón Air Base in Andalusia, Spain, is a strategic forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force.

After the ban was issued in Spain, many of the U.S. tankers and other aircraft left Spain and were redeployed. Because of no-fly orders in countries such as Spain, U.S. tanker formations had to work frantically. Experts said that aircrew fatigue and the excessively high aircraft density along the eastern Mediterranean “refueling corridor” may lead to two KC-135 tankers colliding over Iraq.

The report says that the detoured flight routes also greatly weakened the secrecy of U.S. operations. Public flight-tracking websites mark the flight paths of large tankers because, when these tankers fly, they usually turn on ADS-B data transmitters—just like all large civilian aircraft. The tankers’ flight paths are exposed in real time, revealing the positions of bombers that are usually kept covert. (Compiled/Pan Xiaoyan)