"Trump's Pickett's Charge"
by Matt Bracken
"Some folks are seriously discussing a “ground operation” in Iran, and Kharg or Qeshm Islands seem to be their preferred targets. This sounds plausible in the abstract, but when you dig into the nuts and bolts, it looks to me like a suicide mission for the troops to be landed. I hope that wiser heads prevail, and refuse to plan or conduct a new Pickett’s Charge, Alamo, or Custer’s Last Stand.
First, let’s look at how the Soldiers or Marines would be delivered to Qeshm Island. Our Osprey tilt-rotors have double the range and speed of helicopters, so IMHO they will be the go-to first option. I’ll discuss dropping Soldiers by parachute later. And just rule out bringing our amphibious ships loaded with Marines close enough to disgorge their ACVs, Amphibious Combat Vehicles, with their max speed of 6 knots through the water, and max range through the water of 12 nautical miles. The ships would be sitting ducks while offloading ACVs and landing craft.
“A Marine amphibious assault, likely hitting Qeshm Island before Kharg, because Kharg sits too deep in the Persian Gulf to be the first move.” A Marine amphibious assault with WHAT? Helicopters and tilt-rotors, lift by painfully slow lift, from distant ships? Forget about bringing amphibious ships within boat and ACV launching range of Qeshm, much less Kharg.
Do the math, run the numbers, count the troops, planes, helicopters and tilt-rotors. The idea of invading Queshm is insane. Okinawa was not in artillery range of Japan. Custer faced better odds at Little Big Horn.
A Qeshm Island beach:
Typical Qeshm Island terrain. This is what you can see from above. You can’t see the tunnel complexes.
“Inside Qeshm Island, Iran’s underground ‘missile city’”
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