Iran’s military may be badly damaged by the U.S. and Israel’s campaign. But that damage has exposed a more enduring threat: asymmetric warfare, in which individuals or small groups of militants can pose threats strategic to the American military.
Iran’s military may be badly damaged by the U.S. and Israel’s campaign. But that damage has exposed a more enduring threat: asymmetric warfare, in which individuals or small groups of militants can pose threats strategic to the American military.
The F-15E was hit by a TOR-M1 surface to air missile system when it gained altitude and broke radar horizon in order to drop its bunker buster on their target.
The A-10 was hit by a Chinese MANPADS clone (Russian man portable air defense system) it severely damaged the right engine but the pilot was able to fly for several minutes and ejected over land while the plane was scuttled in the southern Persian Gulf.
The HH-60 Pavehawk (Pedro 12) was hit by a ZU-23 Soviet era anti aircraft gun while flying overwatch for Pedro 11 who was loading the A-10 pilot. 2 F-35 stealth fighters flying at high altitude eliminated the ZU-23 once identified. Pedro 12 managed a controlled crash landing and all crew left in Pedro 11.
The picture shown is 2 C-130 transport aircraft and an AH-6 little bird wreckage. They were staged at an abandoned agricultural airstrip along with 3 other little birds when the C-130s became stuck in the terrain. The details on how they were scuttled are limited but it sounds like US air power eliminated the C-130s so they would not fall in enemy hands, the little bird may have been collateral damage from those strikes or intended.
All of these sites were under attack by IRGC ground forces. Multiple conveys were wiped out by the dozens of other aircraft that assisted. SEAL team 6 and Delta Force were in an hour long firefight on the ground at the rescue site for the weapons systems officer of the F-15E.
Multiple diversion rescue teams were sent to miss direct enemy forces with great success.
0 US casualties. A simple motto, no man left behind.
Hate politics all you want but do not hate on your military.
The United States has had the largest defense budget in the world since WWII. This is what our country does and we have unquestionably the most powerful military as a result.
Might not have taken casualties but it still sounds like a colossal clusterfuck to me. That’s a lot of hardware left burning on the ground.
Don’t worry, it was just a few hundred thousand teacher’s annual salaries worth of inventory. Nbd.
The US military is the reason why every damn US president kills civilians (yes, they do) The US military is too efficient for its own morality. They kill without remorse, they commit war crimes knowing they will never be convicted for it. The US military is an occupying force, not a defensive force. Stop telling them “Thank you for your service” because their “service” is immoral, selfish and inhumane. They don’t defend, they attack others who are not a threat nor have they directly attacked America like Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Iraq, Iran, Serbia, …