What are the most strategically important islands? Do you think

Diego Garcia and Cyprus are where most of the heavy airpower for the middle east comes from

>>34778505
I didn't know we had a US base in Cyprus but that makes sense. Cyprus seems like it would serve as an important area because it also enables us to control the suez canal.

I think I remember Cyprus playing an important role in WW2 but I can't remember the details.

>>34778478
Australia
Come at me ausfags.

>>34778612
In WWII Cyprus was still held by Greeks and Bong/Commonwealth troops and was taken by the German airborne Fallschirmager(spelling) after days of fighting. But it was so bloody for the Germans that they never attempted an airborne assault again.

>>34778741
Fuck me, that was Crete. Nvm

>>34778612
The US don't have a base in Cyprus, the British do

>>34778760
oops, thanks.

>>34778741
i'm speed reading about it now. apparently it was super important to italy and the control of the mediterranean sea.

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I have nothing to add but i just wanna say this is a great question

>>34778478
You forgot Diego Garcia

>>34778478
- Fiery Cross Reef
- Mischief Reef
- Subi Reef

There will be wars for those.

>>34781439
maybe but aren't those small islands with no established military bases?

all the OP islands are islands with large military bases

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>>34778478

>What are the most strategically important islands?

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>>34778478
>Do you think islands will remain important in modern warfare?
Just look at the South China Sea situation with Chinese man-made islands. Now imagine a few decades from now when the Northwest Passage becomes an important shipping lane and the arctic oil reserves become more accessible.

>>34781938
This desu

>>34781373

BIOT is the archipelago that Diego Garcia is a part of.

Falkland islands

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>>34781938
This and picture related.

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>>34778478
Historically its always been the british isles.

However in ww2 what was important
Britain
Malta
Sicily
Iceland
Australia
Oahu (Hawaii)
Midway
Japan

However in todays context.
Against Russia
Britain

Against china
Taiwan
Japanese islands

Always handy
Ascension
Falkland islands
Diego garcia
Singapore
Australia
Hawaii
Midway
British forces Cyprus
Gibraltar, Not technically an island by pretty much is

>>34778505
>>34778612
>>34778760
>>34778852
U2s operate out of british forces cyprus. I was based there for a while and the red arrows were there for whatever reason so we had to take over "spotting" landing of U2s, due to a lack of RAF ground crews.

We basically got to chase them down the runway in Subaru imprezas because of their bicycle undercarriage, it was a fucking awesome job, though. We weren't allowed to film or photo the Planes at all, and we used to have to escort them into a hangar under armed guards where they would remove the hard drives and remove the data at a specialist facility under the watchful eye of both countries intelligence officers.

Supposedly they'd incinerate the hard drive after a mission.

You'd be surprised at the number of U2 pilots who are british and australian on permanent attachment.

Arguably the best job i ever did in the army.

Pic related.

Used to be the Philippines but...

>>34783244
interesting response. do you think islands will also play a role in a more modern warfare setting or is their usage more dependent on our opponents being extremely technologically inferior?

>Falkland islands
i totally forgot about the falklands and their importance.

do you think gotland (sweden) is also an island of importance? I know they are neutral but I was reading about how sweden may militarize that island in response to russia.

>>34783504
Yeah falklands is a right little fortress now,
1 Patrol vessel
1 Arctic icebreaking patrol vessel
1 frigate or destroyer is usually a couple of days away
1 Submarine usually in the area

1200 troops
1 AA battery
200 Militiamen

1 voyager
1 Herc
4 typhoons
2 Chinooks

All for a population about the same size

> gotland Sweden
Pretty important, as far as i'm aware it was responsible for most of the SIGINT picked up from russia/USSR

>>34778478

I would add Iceland. As the centre of the GIUK gap; it was vital in WW2 to protect convoys, vital in the Cold War to protect the Atlantic from USSR SSNs and Tu-22Ms in the maritime strike role, and with the retreating ice cap it will play a major role in the more open Arctic.

>>34783504

As far as I know, the importance of Gotland, now that the Baltic states and Poland are in NATO, is only if Russia were to seize it, not in the hands of Sweden or if seized by NATO, because it could be used along with Kaliningrad to keep NATO out of the Eastern Baltic Sea.

>>34783546

The Falklands are probably far less important currently than (for example) Ascension, because they are so far out of the way, they were most important in the days where coaling stations were vital. Once China has a large SSN fleet in a few decades, it might take on extra importance as a base to monitor (and in wartime, restrict) Chinese submarines sneaking in and out of the Atlantic by a southerly route.

>>34778478
Hawaii is the most strategically important island. Guam isn't large enough. Islands that are within few hundred miles of a coast aren't strategic anymore.

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US are pathetic when it comes to strategic islands

countries like the UK are best at this kinda shit because they have at least 1 spot for every region of the globe.

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>>34783948
>voluntarily giving up Hong Kong to ungrateful Gommie Chinks

get fucked, Bongboy

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China thinks islands are important too even when their territorial claims are outrageous.

>sams everywhere to attempt to deter American air power.
>at least one runway long enough for whatever China has in service.
>spots to put short and medium range offensive missile batteries as well.

One question with these man made islands is how well they will stand up to nature.

>>34781938
This

>>34783983
> Risk nuclear war for an island you can't defend anyway because the Americans supported fucking Egyptians so the bongs have no colonial confidence.

>>34783983
>voluntarily
No we had a deal and didn't go back on the terms afterwards like a pack of niggers

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>>34784238
>being retarded enough to believe that China would escalate to a nuclear war over a 100 year lease that most people forgot.

China didn't even expect Britain to honor it. When they said they will give HK back, they just shrugged and sad "ok cool"

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>>34784321
>>34784238

look at you brits cry like little babies you did this to yourself no more excuses 1997 best year of my life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amjPt8X1JbA

>>34778722
He said important

>>34782170
This...


you def gotta look at the beiring strait for a psible HOTH like battle

>>34784385
T. communist.

>>34783244
Japan is important against Russia as well because of the Russian Pacific Fleet or more precisely their nuclear boats.

is anyone familiar with sakhalin (island north of japan)? does that island play a significant role in russia's military defense? i know the island has 16 billion in oil reserves and contains large mineral mines but I don't know anything about their military importance.

this >>34785994 was meant for >>34785289

>>34783546
Rightful English Clay.

>>34778478
Is throw in the kuril islands in a russia and China vs us and Japan fight

>>34783948
Yeah, because we just use the British bases when we need them. Our we get permission in a neighboring country. Our we use our aircraft carriers.

You know, superpower things.

>>34784385
I'll fucking rape you

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>>34788256

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>>34784023
You get to generate income from tourism and nobody gets kidnapped by Filipino pirates since they steer clear of naval bases, what's not to like?

>>34788197
true. if i remember correctly, the us uses ascension island, cyprus, and singapore.