Global Conflict Reporting

Category: US Air Force

  • U.S. Navy Announces AIM-424 ‘Malice’ LRAAM.

    U.S. Navy Announces AIM-424 ‘Malice’ LRAAM.

    This week, the AIM-242 Malice, a LRAAM (Long Range Air-to-air Missile), was announced by the U.S. Navy. 

    We don’t know much about the missile, but what we do know is that it was quietly worked on by Raytheon and is capable of hitting targets over 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers) away, according to Navy reporting. Its 13.5″ diameter and aerodynamic profile were built for range as well as for the ability to be carried by fighters with internal weapons bays.

    The missile was officially announced on August 22, 2026, at the Tailhook symposium in Reno, Nevada. The Navy announced there that the weapon was already in flight testing and being developed for deployment on the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Lockheed Martin F-35, and the future F/A-XX program.  

    Two AIM-424

    It’s thought that the development of the AIM-424 comes from the Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) special access program first disclosed to the public in 2017. At the time, the US Air Force was looking for a two-stage air-to-air missile that could be carried in the internal weapons bay of a stealth fighter (F-35 or F-22), a similar use case to AIM-424.

    The range of the AIM-424 has been quoted as around 250 nautical miles, which is similar to the publicly reported upper limits of the AIM-174B Gunslinger, which is a derivative of the sea-based RIM-174B Standard Extended Range Active Radar Missile (ERAM, Standard Missile-6, or SM-6). What the AIM-424 brings to the table is versatility, as the Gunslinger is a much larger missile and currently only known to be carried by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. 


    A U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet (BuNo 166673) of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 (VX-9) flies over the Point Mugu Sea Range in Southern California (USA), 24 September 2024. The aircraft carries two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, three AIM-120 AMRAAM and four AIM-174B long-range air-to-air missiles, an infrared search and track system (IRST) in a modified drop tank on its centerline, as well as an ATFLIR targeting pod on its left cheek station.

    The U.S. Air Force and Navy have both put a priority on extending the engagement range of its fighters as the U.S.’s potential enemies extend the range of their armaments. China fields the PL-17 with a reported range of over 300 miles.

    PLA Air Force J-16, armed with the PL-17 long-range air-to-air missile

    An important caveat to all of this is that the published range figures are usually much larger than what the missile can reasonably expect to make a hit on a target. The range is tested using high altitude, in good weather conditions, against a non-maneuvering target. The tests don’t use any sort of jamming or defensive countermeasures. Taking these factors into account, the range these that any air-to-air missile can expect to score a kill is much shorter than what is published. 

    In air-to-air combat, you have a concept of the No-Escape Zone (NEZ). This is the volume of space in which the target cannot defeat the missile through pure kinematics (turning away, accelerating, diving, or any combination of those) no matter how well the pilot flies. Outside the NEZ, the probability of kill (Pk) falls off steeply. For many conventional solid-rocket missiles (most of them), the NEZ is often roughly one-third (or less) of the advertised maximum range.

     A related concept is the practical effective engagement range against an alert, maneuvering fighter that is using countermeasures. That distance is usually even shorter than the pure kinematic NEZ once you factor in real-world degradation factors. 

    Most missiles that use solid rocket fuel burn their fuel very quickly, most medium range within the first 10-12 seconds of launch. After that, burnout the missile is coasting. It is a finite amount of energy that it must manage all the way to the target. Course corrections and drag come into play, and at very long range, the missile could simply lose all energy and “go ballistic”, keeping a straight course and falling to the Earth. 

    While these factors are all important it shows why companies are continuing to push the envelope and produce these long range systems, as the more you can push the ideal range, the longer range that the missile will have under less than ideal combat situations where the enemy is jamming the missile, and using ever tool he has to evade.

  • U.S. A-10 Warthog Shot Down; Pilot Ejects over Kuwait.

    U.S. A-10 Warthog Shot Down; Pilot Ejects over Kuwait.

    The U.S. confirms a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) has been shot over the Persian Gulf. This aircraft was believed to have been a part of today’s C-SAR mission to recover the downed F-15E pilots in Iran or operating independently running operations near the strait. An A-10 was seen earlier near the area where the F-15E Strike Eagle was downed.

    The U.S. has confirmed the aircraft was downed/shot but have yet to say what weapon hit the aircraft. The pilot has already been recovered and is alive (some reports say he is receiving medical attention).The pilot managed to limp the aircraft to Kuwaiti airspace and ejected there, with the plane going down in Kuwait.

    This video was released by Iran as evidence of a shoot down however this aircraft looks more like an MQ-9 drone instead of an A-10.

    The A-10 is a ground-attack jet, known for its 30mm GAU-8 cannon and ability to operate at low altitude in contested environments. It is thought of by the soldiers whose lives it’s saved as the “King of CAS” however it is also useful in this conflict for interdicting Iranian fast attack boats and minelayers, and also being used to hit Iranian backed militia targets in Iraq. It is heavily armored and can carry a variety of munitions. The A-10 is also likely nearing the end of its service as some in the Air Force leadership continue to push for its retirement. While other platforms can do CAS work, like the F-16 and F-35, neither is a designated CAS platform and as such does the job with less success.

  • U.S. Aircraft carrier adds to the growing amount of forces in the Middle East

    By. Scott Jackson

    01/30/2026

    A week after the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) was redirected from the South China Sea the warships arrived in the Arabian Sea. US Central Command (US CENTCOM) confirmed the redeployment of the ship to the Middle East on social media on the 26th of January and located the ship as being somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

    The Carrier Strike Group was dispatched to the region by the U.S. President Donald Trump after he made warning threats to Iran to stop their crackdown on anti-regime protests. The regime’s security forces have opened fire on protesters resulting in thousands of deaths according to human rights watch groups. The carrier strike group that’s moving into the region  is made up of the USS Abraham Lincoln  as well as three Arleigh Burke-Class Guided Missile Destroyers (as well as a suspected Fast-Attack submarine that would usually accompany a CSG).

    “We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.” Donald Trump to reporters aboard Air Force One. 

    While it’s unclear how long the CSG will remain in the region irs addition to the forces slowly building in the region enhances the striking capabilities of the United States. 

    This map, posted by Twitter user and INDOPAC expert  @IanEllisJones shows all of the forces that have been recently moved to the Middle East/CENTCOM region. This map only shows what has been reported publicly and focuses mostly on air and sea assets of CENTCOM and nearby involved units in EUCOM. Both US Commands have a large pool of ground forces however their involvement in any potential strikes on Iran would be minimal if any at all. 

    USS Frank E Peterson, JR sails alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Pacific Ocean.

    Starting off let’s look closer at the newest addition to the region, the USS Abraham Lincoln and it’s CSG. The carrier is escorted by three Arleigh Burke-Class Guided Missile Destroyers. The USS Frank E Peterson, JR. (DDG 121) operating as the Air Defense Commander. This ship integrates all the radar and defense systems of the other ships and takes charge during an attack on the ship being able to remotely use the other connected ships systems to detect,  track and destroy incoming air and missile threats to the CSG. The other two destroyers make up Destroyer Squadron (DESRON)21, the USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112), and the USS Spruance (DDG-111). These ships are going to carry a variety of anti-ship, air, and ground attack missiles. The map has them all three carrying 32 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM’s) a piece. That number is just an estimate, the ships true loadout won’t be known but I don’t think 96 TLAM’s for the whole CSG is too far outside of the realm of possibility. 

    USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)

    The destroyers carry a variety of missiles but a typical loadout for a flight II and up Arleigh Burke goes something like this. 

    Air Defense Heavy: 72 SM-2MR, 16 ESSM, 4 VLA, 10 Tomahawks

    Strike Heavy: 56 Tomahawks, 24 SM-2MR, 12-16 ESSM, 4 VLA. 

    Lastly, any carrier strike group is likely to be escorted by at least one of the Navy’s fast attack sub’s. These submarines are usually not brought up in any sort of reporting or public releases from the navy but we know the carriers almost always have one nearby just for anti-submarine work as well as their ability to strike ground targets using TLAM’s. 

    Virginia-Class Submarine

    Looking specifically at the carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The deck and hangar of the ship is filled with Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9). The current list of squadrons and aircraft is as follows. 

    CVW-9 aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. 

    The “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, flying F/A-18E Super Hornet multirole fighter jets. 

    The “Black Aces” of VFA 41, flying F/A-18FSuper Hornet multirole fighter jets. 

    The “Vigilantes” of VFA 151,  flying F/A-18E Super Hornets multirole fighter jets. 

    An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 151, launches from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while conducting routine flight operations in the Arabian Sea. Abraham Lincoln is deployed to support security and stability within the Middle East region. – CENTCOM Social Media post January 30th 2026.

    The “Black Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 flying F-35C Lightning II’s. 

    F-35C from the “Black Knights“ of VFMA 314.

    The “Wizards” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, flying EA-18G Growler Electronic Warfare Aircraft. 

    EA-18G Growler from VAQ 133 jumping from the Abraham Lincoln back in 2024. These recently received the upgraded ALQ-249 Next-Generation Jammer (NGJ) pods.

    The “Wallbangers” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 flying  E-2D Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft. 

    The “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron 30 (VRM-30) CMV-22B Osprey Multiuse Tiltrotor aircraft. 

    The “Raptors” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, flying MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters. 

    MH-60R Seahawk (HSM-71 / CVW-9) aboard USS Spruance (DDG 111) – July 2024

    The “Chargers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14 flying  MH-60S Seahawk Helicopters. 

    These squadrons give the USS Abraham Lincoln its main offensive capability as well as add some flexibility to any strike plans, and add support for the whole ship. The F/A-18’s especially are capable of carrying and deploying a wide array of munitions, making them one of the most versatile multirole jets in operation. Able to carry a variety of munitions like the JDAM’s, Small Diameter Bombs, as well as rockets, anti-ship, and anti-radar missiles. These multi-role titans, aided by the stealthy F-35c and the Electronic Warfare capabilities of the EA-18G you would be hard pressed to find a job this carrier air wing couldn’t handle. 

    The weapons able to be deployed by the Super Hornet.

    Now looking back at the map from Mr. Ellis. Multiple sources have confirmed the 37 F-15E Strike Eagles arriving into Jordan. CENTCOM themselves released images showing their arrival into the midddle east. 

    The post does give a location but the location was geolocated fairly quickly to the Muwaffaq Salti Air base in Jordan. The map mentions a number of A-10’s being present at that base and while evidence exists of their presence in the Middle East, the exact location is unknown. Elsewhere in the CENTCOM AOR is a squad of F-16’s originally from Aviano AB. The map also shows the large number of F-35’s and F-15’s currently stationed in the UK which could be used if any strikes are carried out in Iran. 

    Several more ships are operating in the Persian gulf area. USS Mitscher (DDG-57) and USS McFaul (DDG-74), are both operating independently in the region. Littoral Combat Ships USS Canberra (LCS-30), USS Tulsa (LCS-16) and USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32) are additionally operating with a mine countermeasure mission package. The newest addition is USS Delbert Black (DDG-119) which was reported entering the Red Sea today. 

    USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) is close by, operating in the Mediterranean but could quickly be called to action. 

    Much of this map shows assets not exactly in theater but very nearby, assets that could very quickly be moved if need be. On top of all of this you have the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet which can be anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. 

    This map above, posted by investigative research user Defensegeek shows flight movements for the past couple days. The map shows recent arrivals of not only strike fighters, but logistics and recon assets as well. 

    As of the conclusion of this article on the 29th, reports are starting to circulate that the White House is now deciding what to do about Iran. A media outlet based in London, Iran international is claiming that a joint U.S./Israel will be carried out with the intent of completely collapsing the current Iranian government and that only the timing is being considered at this stage. President Trumps himself, on January 30th claimed that he directly laid out a deadline for some sort of agreement between the US and Iran.

    This is a continuing story and will be covered here fully by GCR.

  • Overview of operation to capture Venezuelan President Maduro-Operation Absolute Resolve.

    By Scott Jackson

    01.04.2026

    In the early morning hours of January 3rd, 2026, US forces launched an operation to capture the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. The operation was called Operation Absolute Resolve. 

    According to General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, At near 1:01AM (EST) US apprehension forces arrived at the residence of Maduro.The area was secured and Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores were taken into custody and flown via helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima. 

    Video shows US helicopters on their way to capture Maduro.

    U.S. helicopters firing on Venezuelan positions.
    Believed to be a US Army MH-60 DAP firing on ground targets in Caracas.

    It’s been reported that members of Delta Forces led the ground operations to capture Maduro. According to Trump, Maduro was rushed as he tried to make it into what Trump described as similar to a panic room type area. Soldiers on the mission came equipped with blow torches for cutting through the steel doors of his safety shelter if he had been able to make it that far. It’s also been reported that he and his wife were in bed when the soldiers arrived but with what was taking place outside I doubt they were asleep. Members of the FBI also are reported to have taken part in the raid and it has been reported by ABC News that the CIA managed to track and maintain a lock on Maduro’s position in the time leading up to the operation. It’s possible the CIA had a source inside of the government. 

    The operation had actually been planned for Christmas Day but had to be pushed back due to weather and the launching of the U.S. strikes in Nigeria. 

    This video doesn’t show much but was taken as the opening airstrikes hit Caracas.

    During the operation, multiple airstrikes were carried out across the capital of Caracas and elsewhere. All of the targets confirmed so far have been military targets. Air defense systems seem to have been the main target but some general military sites and ports were struck as well. 

    In a statement given on social media Attorney General Pam Bondi said “Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York,” she continued “Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.”

    The operation was carried out with a reported 150 aircraft launched from almost a dozen different locations. F-22’s, F-35’s, B-1’s, EA-18G, E-4’s as well as helicopters. 

    Speaking of helicopters, videos were shared showing what are almost certainly members of the Nightstalkers flying into the city (MH-47 Chinook helicopters as well as MH-60s) engaging targets inside and around Caracas while also being the ride for the ground forces . The Nightstalkers are the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) known for being the flight wing of the special forces. 

    The U.S. carried out this operation successfully with zero casualties according to reports. There was a MH-60 Blackhawk that received damage but was able to be flown back. Several U.S. service members were wounded with non life-threatening injuries. On the Venezuelan side the number I’m seeing for casualties is around 40, and I believe those are all Venezuelan military personnel as well as Maduro’s Cuban security team.

    Aftermath and secondary explosions after a U.S. airstrike at the Higuerote airport.

    I’m currently going through and identifying the targets thag were struck. By geolocating the videos we are able to get a better view kd what specificly happened and what the U.S. targets were. I’ll have a more complete report done in the next day or so but for now wanted to look at a couple of the strikes. One strike took place at the airport in Higuerote. The video above shows the direct aftermath of the attack on a Russian supplied 9K317M2 Buk-M2E medium-range air defence system. Below is the same strike filmed from the resort nearby.

    In another clip-caught on a door cam, we have an attack on a telecommunications substation in La Boyera district in Caracas.

    Translation: Video of a house in the La Boyera urbanization, in Caracas, during the attack on the antennas located at El Volcán in the early morning of January 3, 2026.
    It was one of the first targets, probably to cut off the regime’s telecommunications during the operation.

    It’s believed the overall success of this attack was largely attributed to good planning, and good intelligence. Early on when the U.S. first started to increase its presence in the Caribbean one of the big risk noted in attacking Venezuela was the claimed large amount of MANPADS (man-portable air defense systems) in the country.

    Link to source-

    https://www.reuters.com/article/world/exclusive-venezuela-holds-5-000-russian-surface-to-air-manpads-missiles-idUSKBN18I0EA/

    In all of the video footage I see one instance of anything larger than small arms fire coming up into the sky. For the most part Venezuelan air defense was completely silent. It truly seems like this raid caught the whole country off guard. Which is a little surprising given they have been running public simulations of an attack like this for months.

    More on this story in the coming days.

  • U.S. strikes over 70 targets linked to ISIS in Syria.

    By. Scott Jackson

    12/20/2025

    Late yesterday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) at around 4:00 ET launched “Operation Hawkeye” against ISIS forces across Syria. This operation is a response to last Saturday’s attack in the city of Palmyra on US partner forces that led to the death of two U.S. Iowa National Guard soldiers- Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29.

    CENTCOM claims to have launched strikes using artillery, attack helicopter and fighter jets, and along with fighter jets from the Royal Jordanian Air Force struck over 70 targets across Syria.

    F-15E “Strike Eagle” Multirole Strike Fighters and A-10C Thunderbolt II “Warthog” Close-Air Support Attack Aircraft, and AH-64E “Apache” Attack Helicopters launching for strikes in Syria.

    “This operation is critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland.” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”

    U.S. soldier writes the names of the two Iowa national Guard who were killed in last week’s ISIS affiliated attack on Saturday.

    CENTCOM says the operation utilized over 100 precision munitions to target know ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites.

    Video showing what is believed to be the launch of US ATACMS
    (Army Tactical Missile System) ballistic missiles.

    Video of some of the strikes was posted by CENTCOM several hours after the strike.

    Locals in a central Syrian town caught a glimpse of an A-10 roaring overhead.

  • Navy aircraft operate in the Gulf of Venezuela.

    By. Scott Jackson

    12.10.2025

    Two F/A-18’s were seen flying deep into the Gulf of Venezuela on the 9th, staying there for around 40 minutes according to flight tracking data. The Gulf of Venezuela is a fairly small body of water surrounded on three sides by parts of Venezuela. At its widest the Gulf is only around 150 miles wide (West to East) and 75 miles long (North to South) and the opening of the mouth of the area is only 52 miles wide. Venezuela’s border extends out from its coast 12 miles in every direction not leaving much room for the jets to operate. Venezuela actually claims all of the Gulf as an area of importance to them and considers it all their territory, a claim which the US has debated and challenged for decades.

    Image from FlightRadar24 showing the two F/A-18 Super Hornets in the Gulf of Venezuela. Call signs- RHINO11 and RHINO12.

    Working alongside the F/A-18’s were at least two of the EA-18G Growlers Electronic Warfare aircraft which went into an orbit a couple hundred miles north of the Gulf. Grizzly 1 and Grizzly 2 are the call signs.

    Image from FlightRadar24 show the F/A-18 SuperHornets and north of them the EA-18 Growlers.

    The Growler specializes in electronic attack. Using its overpowering Next Generation Jammer pod carried underwing, it can disrupt modern radar systems on air defense or other air units allowing the growler and other allied planes to get in and out of a mission area without being seen in cases where old radar are being used.

    Electronic attack and radar jamming are poorly understood by most people and there is a lot about the NGJ pods (and even the legacy AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System) that is still classified. However these jamming pods work by attacking the connection between a radar and its target and can reflect a distorted signal back to the receiver.A jamming pod can disrupt a radar by flooding the radar with noise (think of looking into a spotlight)—injecting false signals, alter the timing, or deceiving the radar into tracking a “ghost” location. The tactical advantages of this are obvious, making the growler also amazing at anti-radar and anti air defense missions, also known as SEAD/DEAD. Suppression or Destruction of Enemy air defense. The growlers here could have been jamming the radar for the SuperHornets but more likely they were gathering intelligence on the signals that Venezuela was sending out, in case they are needed for a future strike missions. The last of its features I’d like to point out is the growlers APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar which it was probably using here to scan the Venezuelan coastline.

    It’s believed both the Super Hornets as well as the Growlers are operating from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) which arrived in the Caribbean last month.

    The article I’m liking too is more reading for how the growlers jamming actually works and what some lf the systems limitations are. Highly recommend.

    https://theaviationgeekclub.com/us-navy-ea-18g-growler-pilot-explains-why-jamming-pods-dont-turn-a-non-stealth-aircraft-into-a-stealth-aircraft/amp/

    Two KC-46A Aerial Refueling planes.

    Another event that was missed yesterday was a transfer of several aircraft (possibly Growlers) from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State to the Caribbean. Their presence was noted by flight trackers who also often listen to radio comms between aircraft and Air Traffic Control. They were ferried to the Caribbean by two KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling jets.

    An image showcasing the E/A-18 Growler and its multiple Jamming pods.This one is also packing several anti-radiation missiles that can be set to launch automatically when detecting an enemy radar.

    US aircraft have probed Venezuelan air defense in this same area before utilizing at least one Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft along with several other unidentified aircraft. The US has recently been very public with its aircraft operations in the Caribbean, possibly as a sign to the Maduro regime of its willingness and ability to escalate the situation further if President Trump’s demands aren’t met.

    Flightradar24 showing an RC-135 Rivet Joint and several unknown aircraft operating off the coast of Venezuela.

    In response to an email inquiry sent by GCR to USSOUTHCOM we received this statement from a SOUTHCOM Spokesperson. .

    “We conduct routine, lawful operations in international airspace, including over the Gulf of Venezuela. We will continue to fly safely, professionally, and in accordance with international law to protect the homeland, monitor illicit activity, and support stability across the Americas.”

  • USS Ford arrives in Caribbean.

    By.Scott Jackson

    11.11.2025

    Today the USS Gerold R.Ford (CVN-78) , a Ford-Class nuclear powered aircraft carrier, has entered the waters of the Caribbean,  joining the fourth fleet and coming under the command of US  SOUTHCOM(Southern Command). The Ford, its escorts and its Carrier Air Wing are just the most recent additions in a large military buildup, adding to the tensions in the region. 

    “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations.”

    This deployment to the region was ordered by Washington at the tail end of November. 

    According to the navy’s statement on their website the Ford  is supported by Destroyer Squadron Two’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) and USS Mahan (DDG 72), and the integrated air and missile defense command ship USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). 

    USS Bainbridge (DDG-96)
    USS Mahan (DDG-72)
    USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81)

    The embarked squadrons aboard Gerald R. Ford include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31, VFA 37, and VFA 87, flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet; VFA 213, flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet; Electronic Attack Squadron 142, flying the E/A-18G Growler; Airborne Command and Control Squadron 124, flying the airborne command and control E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, flying the MH-60S Seahawk; Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70, flying the MH-60R Seahawk; and a detachment from Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, flying the Carrier Onboard Delivery C-2A Greyhound.

    F/A-18F Pilot LCDR Jamie R. Struck the makes first carrier arrested landing using AAG system aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) off the Virginia coast. US Navy Photo
    EA-18G Growler with Electronic Attack Squadron 142
    E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

    Two Carrier Air Wing 8 MH-60S Sea Hawks, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 9, fly in formation over the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), during an aerial change of command
    Carrier Onboard Delivery C-2A Greyhound.

    The Ford has yet to undergo its refit which will allow it to launch the F-35C’s so its combat air wing is made up entirely of Super Hornets.

    Carrier capable F-35C Lightning II

    Background

    The U.S. for the past month has been carrying out a large number of strikes aimed at curtailing the drug trade coming into America. The White House has singeled out Venezuela as a large contributor to that issue and has called for Venezuelan President Maduro to crack down on cartels operating in his country. The U.S. military has carried out 19 strikes so far on alleged drug smuggling boats out at sea. The White House says these boats (and one semi-submersible) were moving drugs towards America. 

    SecDef Pete Hegseth’s Twitter post that showed video of two separate strikes on two suspected drug boats.Attack platform unknown.

    If all of these boats carried drugs then potentially thousands of pounds of life shattering narcotics have been removed from the markets, however that is barely a fraction of the drugs suspected to be moving through America’s cities and streets daily. There is no data about exactly how much illegal narcotics comes into America each day but judging by the almost 3000 pounds the authorities catch coming in daily it’s thought to be many times more. 

    While Venezuela isn’t the only origin of the drugs on America’s streets it is one of them, with cartels dealing in large amounts of narcotics, mostly cocaine. The opioid synthetic fentanyl is not believed to be being shipped through Venezuela, as much as the White House had made that claim. Fentanyl is largely produced in Mexico, with the precursor chemicals coming from China. It’s smuggled across the border at the Mexican/American border crossing as well as ports and even airports. With that being said the White House has also made statements about working with the Mexican government to fight the cartels there, using US special operations forces and Central Intelligence Agency agents. 

    Venezuela’s main cartel that the White House has focused on is the Cartel of the Sons (Cartel de los Soles). This cartel is thought by the Trump administration to be headed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as well as other high ranking members of the Venezuelan armed forces. 

    If the U.S. carries out ground strikes against cartel targets, especially cartel leadership there is a strong possibility it will lead to an open war being declared on the U.S. by Venezuela, especially as Maduro believes that Donold Trump is trying to remove him from power. 

    Analysis:

    It’s believed that with the arrival of the USS Ford and its strike group the U.S. military will eventually carry out ground strike missions with the intent of striking cartel targets linked to drug storage and production. That would cause the Venezuelan military to respond. We know they will because they have essentially said that they would. They have already started moving air defense systems and reaching out to their allies for support. Russia has sent several large transport planes to the country in recent weeks. 

    The U.S. has built a sizable force in the region as shown in the image below. Five Arleigh Burke Guided missile destroyers and two Ticonderoga-Class Guided missile cruisers make up the bulk of the missile attack capability that’s close by. We also have at least one submarine, likely two of the carrier came with her own as an escort.

    We don’t know if the U.S. will launch these strikes but Trump has signaled multiple times that this is a direction he wants to move in, even saying “the land is going to be next” following multiple strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels.

    Venezuelan media reported as this article was being finalized that they were mobilizing mass amounts of people and were preparing to mount a guerrilla style defensive in the event the U.S. tries to land soldiers in the country.

    Maduro on state TV mentioned a “prolonged resistance” with small teams spread across the country carrying out sabotage missions and other insurgent/guerrilla tactics.