Special Operations Command wants new aircraft for 'armed overwatch.' These are the options.
On the edges of battle, a little air support can go a long way. That’s the logic behind a set of purchases from the US military announced May 14. Worth just shy of $20 million, the award is for one each of five different airplanes. The goal is finding the right match for supporting units like Delta Force or SEAL Team Six while flying on the bare minimum of support.
Special operations forces grew out of the missions once given to commandos in the wars of the 20th century—missions behind enemy lines that necessitated a smaller force operating with only what they could carry on their backs. In 21st-century warfare, this entails fighting away from other support, which means that small numbers can become a form of stealth instead of a weakness.
To service special operations, SOCOM asked for an affordable aircraft that’s cheaper to maintain and has an onboard human pilot. The plane should be capable of Close Air Support, or shooting and bombing people and vehicles on the ground from a low altitude. SOCOM also asked that it be armed for its scouting missions, and that it can help direct aerial attacks, ensuring that friendly forces are not hit by friendly fire.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
1,700 Mysteriously Dead Seals Wash Ashore on Russian CoastRoughly 1,700 seals were discovered dead on Sunday along the Caspian Sea in the south Russian province of Dagestan.
Read more »
2,500 Mysteriously Dead Seals Wash Ashore on Russian CoastUPDATE: The number continues to grow as investigators count the bodies, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources of Dagestan.
Read more »
Thousands of Dead Seals Mysteriously Wash Ashore in RussiaScientists are alarmed by the recent deaths of some 2,500 endangered Caspian seals.
Read more »
2,500 dead seals found on Russia’s Caspian coastAbout 2,500 seals have been found dead on the Caspian Sea coast in southern Russia, officials say. Authorities say it was unclear why the mass die-off happened but that it was likely due to natural causes.
Read more »
2,500 endangered seals found dead along Caspian Sea coast in RussiaAbout 2,500 dead Caspian seals, an endangered species that solely resides in the sea of which they got their name, have been found along Russia's border with the world's largest inland body of water.
Read more »
More than 2,500 dead seals wash up on Russia's Caspian coastMore than 2,500 dead seals have washed up on the coast of the Caspian Sea in Russia's Dagestan region, the natural resources ministry said on Monday.
Read more »