"The word integration does not explain the sheer complexity of such a mission, an extraction so precise it involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the western hemisphere in close coordination, all coming together in time and place to layer effects for a single purpose, to get an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise. Failure of one component of this well-oiled machine would have endangered the entire mission."
"By "early December," Caine said, the intel community had provided enough information - including details on Maduro's daily habits down to the names of his pets - that the Pentagon felt it could execute the operation when called upon. However, the weather proved to be a factor, which delayed launching the effort. However, the weather cleared enough that at 10:46 pm ET last night, Trump gave the go order. At that point, aircraft began launching from 20 different bases around the Western Hemisphere, Caine said."
A surprise, complex operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after long-term planning between U.S. military forces and intelligence agencies. The mission required integration of more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere from roughly 20 bases to insert an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while preserving tactical surprise. Thousands of flight hours and the mid-November arrival of the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group supported the buildup. Intelligence by early December provided detailed information on Maduro's daily habits, including the names of his pets, enabling a precise extraction window. Weather delayed the launch until conditions cleared and President Trump gave the go order at 10:46 pm ET. Commanders emphasized that failure of a single component could have endangered the entire mission.
Read at Breaking Defense
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]