US fighter aircraft stationed in Jordan could follow up cruise strikes against Syria

Robert Beckhusen:

In the event the U.S. intervenes in Syria, the opening shots will likelybegin with cruise missile bombardments from the sea. But the U.S. has also prepared for a longer conflict, moving fighter aircraft into range by basing them in nearby Jordan. If called upon, they could support intercontinental bombers traveling thousands of miles to drop precision-guided munitions onto Assad’s forces.

Already Pres. Barack Obama’s national security advisers have raised the 1999 Kosovo War as one precedent for a potential Syrian air campaign. First-day strikes from warships would have to target, like in 1999, surface-to-air missile sites, communications hubs and military bases. U.S. submarines carried out similar strikes against Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. But Kosovo was close to NATO bases in Italy, and Libya had a long coastline while still being within range of bombers based in southern Europe.

Any war with Syria would have an entirely different set of physical constraints — surely being discussed over the next several days as Gen. Martin Dempsey meets in Jordan with generals from 10 nations; just as Assad’s forces attempt to shift the blame for the worst chemical attacks since the 1988 Halabja massacre.

Syria’s population centers and Assad’s military forces are deep inside the country’s interior, unlike Libya. In the Libyan war, NATO relied heavily on French Rafale jets flying from bases in southern Europe after the initial sea barrage. This doesn’t mean the U.S. is without many options should an intervention escalate past cruise missiles strikes. But it does make a U.S. air campaign harder.

In case of a Syrian war, the U.S. has instead gradually expanded U.S. forces in Jordan — building up troops, anti-air missile launchers and fighter aircraft in recent months. The result is an advance force that can bombard Syria from across the border, defend Jordan in case Assad attempts to counter-attack, while forming a logistical and basing backbone in case Washington decides to strengthen an intervention further.

Furthermore, if the U.S. attempt to establish safe havens for civilians against Assad’s chemical attacks, southern Syria may be the place to do it.

Largely, the Jordanian build-up was carried out under the auspices of the annual Eager Lion war games, which concluded in late June out of the sprawling Muwaffaq Salti Air Base east of Amman.

Over two weeks, Jordanian and U.S. forces conducted combined-arms exercises — with thousands of ground troops participating from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Army’s 1st Armored Division — backed up by M-1 tanks and AH-1 attack helicopters. Meanwhile, fighter aircraft practiced air-to-air combat and trained how to respondin case Syrian fighter pilots attempt to defect.
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There is more.

Most of the troops and equipment used in the exercise are still in Jordan.  The number of F-16's is relatively small, between 18 to 24.  But, more could be added from bases in Europe.  Also in the region The Saudis have a significant air force and they have already been involved in support the fight  against Assad.

Syria has also threatened to attack Israel if it is attacked.  Israel's substantial air force would be overwhelming against the Syria forces Turkey that could be used against Syria.

This VOA report has a map of US military assets in the region that could be used against Syria.