C1a Aircraft - A military variant of the Boeing 757, believed to be used by the Air Branch for the covert insertion and extraction of personnel, C-32Bs have been spotted making fast turnarounds at airports during various crises around the globe.
It's believed that in February 2004 a C-32B was used to covertly fly Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the deposed President Of Haiti, into exile in Africa. This jet, which masquerades as a private business flight, is suspected of being used by the CIA for the covert movement of terror suspects.
C1a Aircraft
These so-called 'rendition flights' caused controversy when they came to light in 2004. Several Twin Otters are believed to be in Air Branch's inventory. These twin-engine light aircraft are ideal transports for small SAD/SF teams due to their ability to land and take off from short, rough airstrips.
Boeing C-B
DHC-6 aircraft with non-standard antenna arrays have been spotted in Afghanistan. These antennas indicate secure communications capability and a possible SIGINT fitment. An aircraft carrier is often called a "city at sea," and keeping a floating platform that is in constant motion resupplied is a logistical challenge.
While underway replenishment provides fuel, ordnance, food and other bulk items, the aircraft assigned to the Carrier On-board Delivery mission, known to all as the COD, play an important role delivering passengers, cargo, and most importantly mail to deployed flattops.
C-1As were the last piston engine aircraft operated on board U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and during their twilight years were something of a novelty. "The Navy's oldest airplane, described as the dinosaur of the Navy's air arm, and a gasoline-guzzling puddle jumper with the creature comforts of an outhouse, continues to be the most beloved by thousands of sailors in the fleet," one newspaper reporter noted
in an article about the C-1A in 1984, reflecting the airplane's role in delivering mail to those deployed. The last C-1A retired from its duties on board the training carrier Lexington (AVT 16) on September 27, 1988.
Dassault Falcon
This unmanned spy drone is used by the CIA Special Operations Group for both surveillance and strike missions. A remarkable bit of kit, a Predator in the air above Afghanistan can be flown by an operator in Langley, USA via secure satellite remote control.
A set of sensors in a turret under its chin provide its surveillance capability while a laser-designator and 2 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles give it teeth. CIA Predators have carried out strikes against suspected terrorists on several occasions.
COD operations began during the Korean War with the modification of World War II-era TBM Avengers for the mission. Humorously, Transport Squadron (VR) 24 adopted as the centerpiece of their insignia a code to reflect their role.
However, a modified torpedo-bomber was at best a temporary platform and following the successful introduction of the S2F Tracker antisubmarine warfare aircraft, the Navy looked to this platform as a possible carrier on-board delivery airplane. The elite pilots of SAD Air Branch, many recruited from AFSOC and the 160th SOAR, as well as civilian aviation companies, are tasked with flying everything from small light aircraft to large transport planes.
Dhc- Twin Otter
Roles of Air Branch include: The CIA often uses Russian-built helicopters, such as MI-8/MI-17s, for covert operations. As these ubiquitous helicopters are usually commonplace in theater they create less attention than a tricked-out Black Hawk or MH-53 Pavelow and cannot be readily linked to US forces.
These helos are cheap to run and easier to find spare parts for when operating outside the US military logistic chain. They are also one of the few military helicopters capable of operating over the mountains of Afghanistan.
CIA hips spotted in Iraq were equipped with various extra antennae (e.g. Bat-wing SATCOM) and countermeasures such as flare launchers and AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammers. Two Grumman C-1A Trader "Carrier Onboard Delivery" (COD) aircraft. These were the last piston-engined aircraft to serve aboard US Navy aircraft carriers.
According to Joe Baugher's serial number database (see link below), these aircraft are as follows: In recent times, the Air Branch has operated MI-8 and Mi-17 helicopters in support of special operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Me- Predator
In the early stages of Operation Enduring Freedom, SAD helicopter flights inserted Ground Branch operatives and Army Special Forces into the country. Aside from ferrying SAD agents around the battlefield, they also acted as aerial surveillance platforms.
Fitted with thermal imaging devices, and carrying SAD photographers, CIA helicopters scoured the mountains, valleys and desert plains for Taliban and Al Qaeda forces. The Trader entered service in 1955 and operated from the Navy's flattops for the ensuing 33 years.
Among the missions they flew during their lengthy period of operations was flying support for ships engaged in the quarantine during the Cuban Missile Crisis and, during one 23-day stretch in 1969, simultaneously supporting six carriers operating off Vietnam moving over 200 passengers and 23,000 lb
. of cargo. In addition, Lieutenant Donna L. Spruill became the first female naval aviator to carrier qualify in a fixed-wing aircraft when she completed 10 traps in a C-1A Trader on board the carrier Independence (CV 62) on June 20, 1979.
Air Branch Roles
Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation Dimensions: Length: 42 ft.; Height: 16 ft., 3 ½ in.; Wingspan: 69 ft., 8 in. Weights: Empty: 16,631 lb.; Gross: 24,600 lbs. Power Plant: Two 1,525 horsepower Wright R-1820-82WA engines Performance: Maximum Speed: 280 M.P.H.
at 4,000 ft.; Service ceiling: 24,800 ft.; Range: 1,110 miles Armament: None Crew: Two pilots and one aircrewman In Honduras, in 1985, CIA pilots flew Beechcraft King Air light aircraft modified with antennas and RF listening equipment, in support of signals intelligence (SIGINT) operations carried out by the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA).
(2) In the run up to Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, the aborted US operation to rescue American hostages from Tehran, the CIA were involved in an operation to recon the proposed desert staging area inside Iran.
2 CIA pilots, operating a CIA DH6 Twin Otter, flew a USAF Combat Controller (CCT) and his motorbike from Oman to the proposed staging area at Dasht-e-Kavir. Flying at night and below radar coverage, the CIA plane landed in the desert, delivering the CCT who surveyed and marked out a runway on the desert floor before being flown out again, all without being detected.
Mil Mi- / Mi- Hip
(1)
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