AC-130 Sceptre gunship. One of the aircraft deployed in the rescue operation for the 27 year old Philip Walton in Nigeria
The raid also included the extremely long distance movement of forces via multiple C-17A Globemaster III transport planes and the employment of both CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors and MC-130 planes, AC-130 gunships and aerial refueling tankers.
Wondering how the U.S could deploy such an incredible amount of firepower to rescue just one man? Yet for six years have done nothing of such against ISWAP in Lake Chad?
A general overview of the main facilities at the new US air base in Agadez during construction.
One of the 323rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron's MQ-9s in a tent style hangar in Niamey in 2017.
Three MQ-9s are visible in this satellite image of the US base in Niamey in 2017.
A briefing slide from 2018 showing the top 13 entries in US Africa Command's Integrated Priority List for 2020-2024. Two of the top three deal with the demand for more persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
The base in Agadez serve as a larger hub for U.S. military operations throughout Northwest Africa beyond simply serving as a staging point for MQ-9s.
One of the main reasons the U.S. military is establishing the base in Agadez, to begin with, is so that Reapers will be able to operate from a more central location that will improve their ability to conduct missions across Northwest Africa.
On Nov. 30, 2017, the U.S. and Nigerien authorities reached an understanding regarding the use of armed unmanned aircraft inside the country.
Satellite imagery from shows significant unmanned aircraft activity in Niamey even before 2017. The most recent image, dated Sept. 9, 2017, caught no less than three Reapers outside of their clam shell hangars, including one on the taxiway leading to Diori Hamani’s main runway.
France flies its own Reapers from facilities next to the American base. Before October 2017, the French had secured the right to fly armed missions from Niamey with their drones, as well as Mirage 2000D fighter jets.
The Satellite imagery also shows French and German C-160 Transall transports and a French KC-135FR tanker at the base.
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