shapurzolaktaf
Registered Member
Was this tweet really posted?
Venezuela - US Conflict: News, Updates
- Thread starter Bharatah
- Start date
Was this tweet really posted?
Zarvan
Elite Member
U.S. Forces use Growlers to blind Venezuelan air-defense systems
NewsMaritime Security
ByDylan Malyasov
Jan 8, 2026
Modified date: Jan 8, 2026
U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 6, 2025. (Photo by Jason Cochran)
Key Points
- The U.S. Navy used EA-18G Growler aircraft during the January 3 strike on Venezuela, disrupting radar and communications systems with electronic jamming.
- Venezuelan air-defense crews reported radar outages and confirmed losses of JY-27 radars and Buk-M2E components following the U.S. operation.
The action was first acknowledged through statements from Venezuelan military personnel who reported that radar systems “were blinded” minutes before precision weapons struck their sites.
According to accounts shared by Venezuelan operators, the attack unfolded rapidly, with radar crews claiming that moments before the strikes “all the monitors of the radar were in interference, and it looked as if someone had thrown a handful of sand at the screen.” They said the system “became useless” as the incoming U.S. operation began.
The operation involved the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based EA-18G Growler, a specialized electronic attack aircraft equipped to suppress radar, disrupt communications networks and support strike aircraft by degrading enemy situational awareness. The Growler is widely used across the U.S. Navy for electronic attack missions, including jamming of early-warning radars and air-defense engagement systems.
Venezuelan forces had long promoted their air-defense network as one of the most advanced in Latin America. The country fielded Russian-supplied Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile systems and Chinese-made JY-27 long-range radars marketed as capable of detecting low-observable F-35 aircraft. Venezuela reportedly received between nine and twelve JY-27 systems, and twelve Buk-M2E batteries were delivered earlier in the 2010s.
Chinese-made radars in Venezuela
Imagery released after the strike showed destroyed radar positions and damaged components of the Buk-M2E system, including two launchers and a command post. Venezuelan military representatives claimed the attack was “unexpectedly fast,” and several radar crews stated they were unable to track approaching aircraft or incoming weapons once jamming began.
The Growler’s electronic attack suite is designed to suppress multi-channel air-defense systems by transmitting complex jamming patterns that disrupt radar tracking, engagement radars, and communications between command elements. This support allows strike aircraft to reach defended areas without entering engagement envelopes of modern surface-to-air missile systems.
Following the operation, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented publicly, saying: “Seems those Russian air defenses didn’t quite work so well, did they?”
The remark referenced longstanding claims by Moscow and Caracas about the performance and survivability of their air-defense equipment.
The EA-18G’s role in the operation underscores the U.S. Navy’s emphasis on electronic attack as a core component of strike missions against defended targets. The aircraft carries advanced receivers, jamming pods and communications disruption equipment intended to neutralize complex air-defense networks at the outset of an air campaign.
The January 3 attack highlights the current state of U.S. electronic-warfare capabilities and the challenges faced by conventional radar systems when exposed to modern jamming. It also illustrates the importance of electronic-attack platforms in enabling precision strikes against hardened or well-defended infrastructure.
Last edited:
Fallstuff
Elite Member
Major General javier marcano tábata has been sacked.
www.bbc.com
Venezuela's interim leader sacks man in charge of Maduro's guard - BBC News
General Javier Marcano Tábata was the commander of the inner circle of guards tasked with protecting Maduro.
www.bbc.com
Khansaheeb
Elite Member
️Yemeni artist Mustafa Al-Momawi:
“The world is afraid of Trump. ‘Ohhh, did you see what Trump did to the Venezuelan president?!’
‘They took this president from inside his house and blah blah…’
Do you really believe these movies?!
America is weaker and more cowardly than to go to a country, drop paratroopers, and kidnap its president this easily.
This Venezuela. Its government and its army sold their president and coordinated with America. They sold him outright.
Some time ago, during Trump’s time, America sent ten aircraft to Yemen, Marines, and paratroopers to kidnap a Yemeni man named Abdulraouf Al-Dhahab. In the house there was only him, his wife, and four other people.
He and those four people alone killed eight Americans in the confrontation, and the Americans were unable to kidnap him. In the end, America bombed his house with his wife and the four who were with him.
This is America. They could not handle one Yemeni man named Abdulraouf Al-Dhahab, who had no army, no Arsenal, no guards, nothing at all, just alone in his house, and he faced America by himself.
And you believe they kidnapped a president of a country without any resistance?!
Where is the army? Where is the state? Where, where…
Sold out.
America, America… look at what we did to America in Yemen. Why don’t they drop paratroopers in Yemen?!
They know we would sell them as spare parts.”
From the Outside, America No Longer Sounds Like Itself
This is what people are talking about around the world today.
A lot of us are sitting here listening to the United States and thinking: do Americans hear how this sounds. Because from the outside, it sounds like a country coming unglued, impulsive, and willing to throw rules out the window the moment they get in the way.
And what is honestly shocking is how normal it seems to have become inside the US. People repeat the talking points, argue about the usual teams, and act like this is just another news cycle. But the rest of the world is hearing something else entirely. We are hearing threats. We are hearing contempt for allies. We are hearing a willingness to take what you want because you can.
That is the kind of behavior Americans used to point at in other countries and say, that is not who we are. Now it is coming from Washington, and people abroad are not guessing anymore. They are concluding.
In North America right now, Canada looks like the only adult in the room. Stable, boring, predictable, democratic. The kind of country you can actually trust from one year to the next.
Maybe Americans do not feel the change because it is happening from the inside. But from the outside, it is loud. And it is not a good sound.
Fatman17
Moderator
US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in detail
- US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in detail
By Dino Carrara
6th January 2026
The US undertook a major military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife overnight on January 2-3, 2026. What was called Operation Absolute Resolve followed months of a US forces buildup in the region.
The USS Gerald R Ford Carrier Strike Group and the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group had been despatched to the seas around Venezuela. The carrier air wing and aircraft on board the latter ship, which included AV-8B+ Harrier IIs and MV-22B Ospreys represented a formidable force on their own. They were complemented by a wide range of aircraft deployed to airfields in the region.
Puerto Rico plays a critical role
Puerto Rico was a major centre for air operations with the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads now known as José Aponte de la Torre Airport hosting 12 F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing, 14 F-35A Lightning IIs of the Vermont Air National Guard and ten F-35Bs from VMFA-225 of the US Marine Corps. In addition to the Growlers on the USS Gerald R Ford, six EA-18Gs from VAQ-132 were also deployed to the airfield. Plus, an AC-130J Ghostrider from the US Air Force’s 16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) was noted recently using the facility. Footage circulating online also showed an RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone recovering to this location in the first light of January 3.Another airfield on Puerto Rico which had a major US presence was Aguadilla Rafael Hernández Airport which housed three HC-130J Combat King IIs of the 71st Rescue Squadron (RQS), six MC-130J Commando IIs of the 15th SOS, and four MC-130Js from the 193rd Special Operations Wing/Pennsylvania ANG. Also present were ten 71st SOS CV-22B Ospreys and the same number of MQ-9A Reaper UAVs. While San Juan’s Luis Munoz International Airport was the forward operating base for two EC-130H Compass Call aircraft.
Comalapa Air Base, El Salvador, hosted an AC-130J Ghostrider from the 4th SOS. Also using this facility have been US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft operating as part of Southern Spear – the name of the US operation that attacked the boats of what the Trump administration called “suspected narco-terrorists”.
The Delta Force team tasked to capture Maduro was flown on US Army MH-47G Chinooks and MH-60M Direct Action Penetrators from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). It has been confirmed that some of these helicopters operated from the USS Iwo Jima and that likely explains why the ship’s Harriers were sent ashore to Roosevelt Roads to make space for the former.
Two B-1B Lancers of the 28th Bomb Squadron flew from their base at Dyess AFB, Texas to assist the operation. Numerous support aircraft were involved either from forward deployed locations or flying from their home stations.
How the mission unfolded
US President Donald Trump announced the capture of the Venezuelan leader Maduro at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026 flanked by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine. The general outlined in detail how Operation Absolute Resolve was conducted: “In total, more than 150 aircraft: bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, rotary wing were in the air last night…as the night began the helicopters took off with the extraction force which included law enforcement officers and began their flight into Venezuela at 100ft above the water. As they approached Venezuelan shores the United States began layering different effects provided by SPACECOM, CYBERCOM and other members of the inter-agency to create a pathway. Overhead those forces were protected by aircraft from the United States Marines, United States Navy, United States Air Force and the Air National Guard. The force included F-22s, F-35s, F/A-18s, EA-18s, E-2s, B-1 bombers and other support aircraft, as well as numerous remotely piloted drones.“As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling and disabling the air defence systems in Venezuela employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area. The goal of our air component is, was and always will be to protect the helicopters and the ground force and get them to the target and get them home. As the force crossed the last point of high terrain where they’d been hiding in the clutter we assessed that we had maintained totally the element of surprise. As the helicopter force ingressed towards the objective at low level we arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1.01am Eastern Standard Time [EST] or 2.01am Caracas local time. The apprehension force descended into Maduro’s compound and moved at speed, precision and discipline towards their objective and isolated the area to ensure the safety and security of the ground force while apprehending the indicted persons.”
He continued: “On arrival into the target area the helicopters came under fire and they replied with overwhelming force in self-defence. One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable and…all of our aircraft came home and that aircraft remained flyable during the rest of the mission. As the operation unfolded at the compound our air and ground intelligence teams provided realtime updates to the ground force ensuring those forces could safely navigate the complex environment without unnecessary risk. The force remained protected by overhead tactical aviation. Maduro and his wife [Cilia Flores], both indicted, gave up and were taken into custody by the Department of Justice assisted by our incredible US military with professionalism and precision with no loss of US life. After securing the indicted persons the force began to prep for departure. Helicopters were called in to exfiltrate the extraction force, while fighter aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft provided overhead coverage and suppressive fire. There were multiple self-defence engagements as the force began to withdraw out of Venezuela. The force successfully exfiltrated and returned to their afloat launch bases. The force was over the water at 3.29am EST with indicted persons onboard and both Maduro and his wife were embarked aboard the USS Iwo Jima…”.
Maduro and his wife were flown to Guantanamo Bay and then to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York State on US Department of Justice Boeing 757, N874TW. They appeared in a court in New York on January 5 charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Both Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to the charges.
General Caine rounded off his briefing on January 3 stating: “As we stand here this morning our forces remain in the region at a high state of readiness prepared to project power, defend themselves and our interests in the region”.
Aircraft basing information supplied by Babak Taghvaee. For his detailed article on Operation Absolute Resolve see the March 2026 issue of Combat Aircraft Journal, pages 24-35.
Topics
Read more aboutSource: key Aero
retaxis
Trusted Member
Unless a lot of money is pumped into venezuela to keep people happy, venezuela is going to most definitely be a failed state. And we all know trump aint there to make venezuela great again.
retaxis
Trusted Member
China already does more than half of its trade in non usd currency. Saudi now trading oil on non usd currency. India and brics will ignore america and keep trading in their own currency as usa is seen as a rabid dog. EU will want continue to use more of Euro as america is threatening them lol. Usa debt keeps going up and less people using it will cause epic collapse.
Last edited:
SolarWarden
Trusted Member
U.S. President Donald J. Trump stated during tonight’s interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, that special operations and land strikes are going to begin soon against the Cartels in Mexico. Talks with the Mexican Government regarding such operations have been ongoing now for nearly a year, with missions likely to be alongside or in support of Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense.
I thought the most Trump would do in Venezuela was to hit cartel factories and avoid Venezuela military I thought all those US military assets were a show of force so him saying strikes in Mexico are happening soon I have to believe him that he is not bull chitting. Haven't seen an uptick of marine helicopters flying over my house so when he says soon it's likely couple months away or more.
I thought the most Trump would do in Venezuela was to hit cartel factories and avoid Venezuela military I thought all those US military assets were a show of force so him saying strikes in Mexico are happening soon I have to believe him that he is not bull chitting. Haven't seen an uptick of marine helicopters flying over my house so when he says soon it's likely couple months away or more.
gambit
Professional
Why do heads of states have bodyguards? For fear of assassination. Only?
So if you* already are on guard for assassination, why not abduction?
What personal security experience do YOU have to assert definitively that abduction require less bodyguards than assassination? I would like to see sources from private security services that says so.
Al-Qaeda is non-state military actor, similar to private military corps (PMC). Similar, but not identical. The difference is that Al-Qaeda have an ideology that forms the foundation of their actions. If I have a problem with YOU, is it honorable to take my anger out on your family? Of course not.
That is why inter-states disputes that resorted to war, we minimize non-combatants (civilians) involvement. Al-Qaeda's battle plans specifically focused on civilians, not military personnel. That is why the label 'terrorism' is applied. Hence, Sept 11, 2001 was a despicable dishonorable act.
Am not going to re-hash the morality of 9/11 in this thread. I can see that YOU are desperate to cast the US military among the dregs of combatants. That means YOU are fully capable of differentiating the moral arguments.
I suggest you re-think your forum handle because the word 'Warrior' is absolutely inapplicable in your case.
*Note: the 'you' is generic and not personal
SaadH
Elite Member
Fauj did the same thing in Pakistan without needing their masters in pentagon firing a single shot, they rolled over a piece of paper from a State department bhangee...at least Venezuelan military pretended to be resisting and required some semblance of kinetic action to sell it to the public.
Raj-Hindustani
Elite Member
Meanwhile chinese government busy doing propaganda..U.S. Forces use Growlers to blind Venezuelan air-defense systems
NewsMaritime Security
ByDylan Malyasov
Jan 8, 2026
Modified date: Jan 8, 2026
U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 6, 2025. (Photo by Jason Cochran)
Key Points
United States forces used Navy EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft during the January 3 strike on Venezuela, employing high-power jamming to disable multiple layers of the country’s air-defense network.
- The U.S. Navy used EA-18G Growler aircraft during the January 3 strike on Venezuela, disrupting radar and communications systems with electronic jamming.
- Venezuelan air-defense crews reported radar outages and confirmed losses of JY-27 radars and Buk-M2E components following the U.S. operation.
The action was first acknowledged through statements from Venezuelan military personnel who reported that radar systems “were blinded” minutes before precision weapons struck their sites.
According to accounts shared by Venezuelan operators, the attack unfolded rapidly, with radar crews claiming that moments before the strikes “all the monitors of the radar were in interference, and it looked as if someone had thrown a handful of sand at the screen.” They said the system “became useless” as the incoming U.S. operation began.
The operation involved the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based EA-18G Growler, a specialized electronic attack aircraft equipped to suppress radar, disrupt communications networks and support strike aircraft by degrading enemy situational awareness. The Growler is widely used across the U.S. Navy for electronic attack missions, including jamming of early-warning radars and air-defense engagement systems.
Venezuelan forces had long promoted their air-defense network as one of the most advanced in Latin America. The country fielded Russian-supplied Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile systems and Chinese-made JY-27 long-range radars marketed as capable of detecting low-observable F-35 aircraft. Venezuela reportedly received between nine and twelve JY-27 systems, and twelve Buk-M2E batteries were delivered earlier in the 2010s.
Chinese-made radars in Venezuela
Imagery released after the strike showed destroyed radar positions and damaged components of the Buk-M2E system, including two launchers and a command post. Venezuelan military representatives claimed the attack was “unexpectedly fast,” and several radar crews stated they were unable to track approaching aircraft or incoming weapons once jamming began.
The Growler’s electronic attack suite is designed to suppress multi-channel air-defense systems by transmitting complex jamming patterns that disrupt radar tracking, engagement radars, and communications between command elements. This support allows strike aircraft to reach defended areas without entering engagement envelopes of modern surface-to-air missile systems.
Following the operation, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented publicly, saying: “Seems those Russian air defenses didn’t quite work so well, did they?”
The remark referenced longstanding claims by Moscow and Caracas about the performance and survivability of their air-defense equipment.
The EA-18G’s role in the operation underscores the U.S. Navy’s emphasis on electronic attack as a core component of strike missions against defended targets. The aircraft carries advanced receivers, jamming pods and communications disruption equipment intended to neutralize complex air-defense networks at the outset of an air campaign.
The January 3 attack highlights the current state of U.S. electronic-warfare capabilities and the challenges faced by conventional radar systems when exposed to modern jamming. It also illustrates the importance of electronic-attack platforms in enabling precision strikes against hardened or well-defended infrastructure.
Analysts in China described Venezuela’s air defences – which rely largely on Russian technology – as “full of flaws and slow to react” amid the modern surveillance, cyber, and electronic warfare displayed by US forces in Saturday’s operation in Caracas.
Venezuela attack seen as reminder for China to boost air defence, intelligence
Lessons for Beijing include the need to upgrade hardware, protect state secrets and prevent infiltration, experts say.
www.scmp.com
Will they response for failures of Chinese radars and air defence systems from a few months continuously
China’s Anti-Stealth JY-27 Radar Flops In Venezuela? Did F-22, F-35 “Hunter” Got Hunted By USAF, Experts Decode
As so called claims -The JY-27 is a Chinese-made VHF-band radar system developed by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC). Venezuela acquired several units of these radars over the past few years as part of its air defence modernization.
Designed to detect low-observable aircraft like the US F-22 and F-35 by operating at meter-wave frequencies that, in theory, exploit resonance effects on stealth designs, the JY-27 has been marketed by Beijing as an “anti-stealth” or “stealth hunter” radar.
In 2016, for instance, China claimed that its JY-27A radar can detect stealth targets like the F-22 Raptor. At that time, it was reported that China might have used the JY-27A or YLC-8B – or both together – to detect the stealth fighters from more than 250 kilometres away.
China’s Anti-Stealth JY-27 Radar Flops In Venezuela? Did F-22, F-35 "Hunter" Got Hunted By USAF, Experts Decode
The unprecedented capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the US military has stirred several conversations among military strategists, observers, and defense enthusiasts. Interestingly, this includes the “ineffectiveness” of the radars that Caracas acquired from China. On January 3...
www.eurasiantimes.com
Pak-Warrior
Registered Member
No matter how personal you want to get. The fact remains US objectives remains worse then even terror orgs like al-qaeda. I have history & facts at my side. al qaeda wanted to remove US mil presence all over the place. On contrary your objectives are to Steal other nations resources and keep bullying rest of the world (as its happening in front of whole world right now). If US mil with all its advanced tech can justify (when questioned) about morality or being unfair then by all means the terror orgs can do so. Ofcourse they don't have resources or capabilities to fight at same level. al-qaeda did hit at Pentagon too. Whats more military it could be. It did hit WTC too, so does the US hits economic key points of any opponent regardless of collateral damages. I wonder if there are still any doubts or anything left to defend actions of US & its mil.
Let's compare al-qaeda & US military objectives for recent ops. Alqaeda's 9/11 vs US post-9/11 till date.
| Al-Qaeda | US military | |
| Objectives of military Ops: | To free arab world from hegemonic US forces | To steal other nations riches and resources (oil), Bullying other nations, forcing other nations in so many ways, |
| Targets | Military and economic targets | Military and economic targets |
| Deaths caused incl "collateral damage" | thousands+ | hundreds of thousands. |
| Unfair | Yes | Yes |
| Sneak attacks / element of surprise | Yes | Yes |
| Below the belt tactics | Yes | Yes |
Sorry to say, but I don't find any other military of the world (except US & Israel) to be comparable or even further despicable then terror organisation as far as objectives / motives and morality of Ops are concerned. These both militaries are technically advance, professional forces but are not talking here at tactical level, we are talking about moral principles & core reasoning for which the hard power is played into effect at first place. You are a soldier, following orders. We are not talking about you but overall objective principally if its for a nobel mission or quite the opposite. So in essence are you the good guys or forces of evil. There's absolutely no honor for a mission that's basically to steal other nation's resources. On contrary the iraqi forces, or even Taliban's were fighting for their nation against occupation. 75 Venezuelans killed by a vicious hegemonic force which intends to steal their nation's riches and wealth.
Lets end this debate, YOU just tell me why US went into Iraq and Venezuela ? the real motives ? You still don't believe that was to steal their resources (oil) ? If you don't believe so, then there's nothing left to discuss anything anymore. As both of our time is precious.
BTW, you are right. I am no warrior. Don't take that nickname as literally. Yes keyboard warrior you can say. But warrior is something at a very high level which me or even today's US mil can never understand.
Users who are viewing this thread
Pakistan Defence Latest
Country Watch Latest
Latest Posts
-
-
-
-
A Paradigm Shift in Grand Strategy—Moving Beyond Deter War toward Proactive Treaty Enforcement (19 Viewers)
- Latest: peacemaker99
-