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theaviationist.com following military build up in the Gulf !
SPECIAL OPERATIONS PLANES AND GUNSHIPS
U.S. amassing Special Operations planes, gunships in the Mediterranean area September 13, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Military Aviation.
A small build-up is in progress in the Mediterranean area, following the Benghazi attack that cost the life of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three American officials, one of those was a former Navy SEAL.
Along with a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST), a couple of destroyers equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, and, most probably the USS Iwo Jima and its MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), Washington may have decided to move into position several Special Operations planes.
According to the information posted on Scramble Messageboard, one of the most famous aviation forums, extremely popular among aircraft spotters from all around the world, at least a dozen Special Operation Hercules (MC-130Hs, HC-130Ns, HC-130Ps and AC-130Us) are currently in the process of crossing the Atlantic Ocean eastbound.
A pre-planned deployment? Hard to say. For sure it seems more than a coincidence that such variety of Special Ops planes is on the move hours after the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and protests have erupted in Israel, Gaza, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran and among Muslims in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir.
Although their final destination is unknown, they will probably be deployed to Sigonella, in Sicily, or Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, or wherever such special operations planes may be useful to support infiltration, exfiltration of ground forces, resupply, escort and anything needed to protect U.S. diplomatic missions in Africa and the Middle East, where protesters have been gathering in a wave of anger and outrage sparked by an American film.
The presence of AC-130U Spooky gunships could be a sign that the Pentagon wants consistent firepower to perform force protection missions should the need arise.
This plane’s primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. The U model is an upgraded version of the H and is equipped with side firing, trainable 25 mm, 40 mm, and 105 mm guns.
Posted by David Cenciotti in Military Aviation.
A small build-up is in progress in the Mediterranean area, following the Benghazi attack that cost the life of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three American officials, one of those was a former Navy SEAL.
Along with a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST), a couple of destroyers equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, and, most probably the USS Iwo Jima and its MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), Washington may have decided to move into position several Special Operations planes.
According to the information posted on Scramble Messageboard, one of the most famous aviation forums, extremely popular among aircraft spotters from all around the world, at least a dozen Special Operation Hercules (MC-130Hs, HC-130Ns, HC-130Ps and AC-130Us) are currently in the process of crossing the Atlantic Ocean eastbound.
A pre-planned deployment? Hard to say. For sure it seems more than a coincidence that such variety of Special Ops planes is on the move hours after the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and protests have erupted in Israel, Gaza, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran and among Muslims in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir.
Although their final destination is unknown, they will probably be deployed to Sigonella, in Sicily, or Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, or wherever such special operations planes may be useful to support infiltration, exfiltration of ground forces, resupply, escort and anything needed to protect U.S. diplomatic missions in Africa and the Middle East, where protesters have been gathering in a wave of anger and outrage sparked by an American film.
The presence of AC-130U Spooky gunships could be a sign that the Pentagon wants consistent firepower to perform force protection missions should the need arise.
This plane’s primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. The U model is an upgraded version of the H and is equipped with side firing, trainable 25 mm, 40 mm, and 105 mm guns.
DRONES
Drones may already be flying over Libya hunting insurgents who attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi September 12, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Drones, Libyan Uprising.
Even if, citing U.S. officials, the CNN has just reported that unmanned aerial vehicles will begin flying over Benghazi in the next few days, American drones may already be flying surveillances flights over eastern Libya following the attack at the U.S. consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed by anti-U.S. mob.
The U.S. Air Force drones can be particularly useful to discover jihadi encampments and targets that may be tied to the attack to the Benghazi consulate.
CNN’s Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reported that the proposal for use of drones could be approved shortly by the DoD and the White House, however, ISR (intelligence surveillance reconnaissance) have continued to take place over Northern Africa, where U.S. spyplanes, most probably looking for terrorists camps and smuggled weapons travelling towards Egypt, have been reported (and spotted) months after Operation Unified Protector had ended.
Since the first drones to operate in the Libyan airspace during 2011?s Air War were the U.S. RQ-4Bs belonging to the 9th Operations Group/Detachment 4th of the US Air Force, based at Naval Air Station Sigonella, in Sicily, the main operating base of the NATO Air Ground Surveillance Global Hawk program, it is quite likely that, if not already flying high-altitude surveillance flights over eastern Libya, these will be the first UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) to seek and hunt insurgents.
Unless, the Pentagon decides to attack them once detected (instead of leaving them to the Libyan forces), as it happens in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen: in this case, the unarmed Global Hawks will have to be supported/replaced by weaponized Predator or Reaper drones like those that have already operated in Libya (taking part to the operation that led to the capture and death of Gaddafi).
http://theaviationist.com/2012/09/12/drones-libya/
http://theaviationist.com/2012/09/13/deployment-benghazi/
Posted by David Cenciotti in Drones, Libyan Uprising.
Even if, citing U.S. officials, the CNN has just reported that unmanned aerial vehicles will begin flying over Benghazi in the next few days, American drones may already be flying surveillances flights over eastern Libya following the attack at the U.S. consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed by anti-U.S. mob.
The U.S. Air Force drones can be particularly useful to discover jihadi encampments and targets that may be tied to the attack to the Benghazi consulate.
CNN’s Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reported that the proposal for use of drones could be approved shortly by the DoD and the White House, however, ISR (intelligence surveillance reconnaissance) have continued to take place over Northern Africa, where U.S. spyplanes, most probably looking for terrorists camps and smuggled weapons travelling towards Egypt, have been reported (and spotted) months after Operation Unified Protector had ended.
Since the first drones to operate in the Libyan airspace during 2011?s Air War were the U.S. RQ-4Bs belonging to the 9th Operations Group/Detachment 4th of the US Air Force, based at Naval Air Station Sigonella, in Sicily, the main operating base of the NATO Air Ground Surveillance Global Hawk program, it is quite likely that, if not already flying high-altitude surveillance flights over eastern Libya, these will be the first UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) to seek and hunt insurgents.
Unless, the Pentagon decides to attack them once detected (instead of leaving them to the Libyan forces), as it happens in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen: in this case, the unarmed Global Hawks will have to be supported/replaced by weaponized Predator or Reaper drones like those that have already operated in Libya (taking part to the operation that led to the capture and death of Gaddafi).
http://theaviationist.com/2012/09/12/drones-libya/
http://theaviationist.com/2012/09/13/deployment-benghazi/
2 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
