Kenyan Air Force F-5 Bomb Al-Qaeda camps in Somalia

The Kenyan air force has destroyed two al Shabaab camps in Somalia, it said on Monday, in the first major military response since the Islamist group massacred students at a Kenyan university last week.
Al Shabaab denied the camps were hit, saying the air force bombs fell on farmland.
Gunmen from the al Qaeda-aligned group killed 148 people on Thursday when they stormed the Garissa University College campus, some 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border.
Jets pounded the camps in the Gedo region on the other side of the frontier on Sunday, Kenya Defence Forces spokesman said. The mission was part of efforts to stop fighters from those camps carrying out cross-border raids into Kenya.
Our aerial images show that the camps were completely destroyed, Kenya Defence spokesman said.
reuters

U.S. says Boko Haram now 'top priority'

The U.S. State Department acknowledged it could have acted sooner to designate Nigeria’s Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization, even though the Nigerian government and many Africa experts opposed the move when it was first considered two years ago.
The acknowledgment — accompanied by a caveat that it is impossible to say if an earlier designation would have had a significant impact on the group — came amid Republican criticism of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s decision not to take the step in 2012. And it was made as senior U.S. officials declared to Congress that freeing the schoolgirls abducted by the radical Islamist group last month has become one of the Obama administration’s top priorities.
As the 276 girls entered a second month in captivity that has sparked global outrage, senior officials from the State Department, the Pentagon and the U.S. Agency for International Development told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee that the U.S. is committed to assisting Nigeria in combating the al-Qaida-linked Boko Haram as it expands its reach and builds capacity for more sophisticated and deadlier terror attacks.
At the same time, though, the officials lamented limitations on U.S. cooperation with the Nigerian military due to its poor human rights record. And they expressed concern about the Nigerian government’s commitment to fight the group and the ability of its army to do so.
militarytimes

Taliban claim they shot down US AC-130 warplane in eastern Afghanistan

The Afghan Taliban claimed that their forces hit an US Air Force AC-130 gunship with antiaircraft fire and forced it to land in the eastern province of Logar.
The Taliban released a video purporting to show their forces hitting what appears to be a US Air Force C-130 aircraft. The AC-130 is a heavily armed ground attack variant of the C-130 airframe.
The video "was posted on the Facebook page of Bot Shikan on April 27, 2014, and was promoted on the Twitter account of an Afghan Taliban website representative on April 29.
The video shows a group of Taliban fighters firing antiaircraft machine guns mounted on the backs of pickup trucks. The video then shows tracer rounds fired at what appears to be a C-130. Several rounds appear to hit the aircraft and bright flashes are seen underneath the plane. The video then shows what the Taliban claim is the wreckage of the aircraft as well as footage of the plane as it lands on or near an airbase in Logar province. At the end of the video, the Taliban show a helicopter and another aircraft being fired upon.
The International Security Assistance Force has not reported that any of its aircraft have been shot down or crash-landed, and would neither confirm nor deny that the aircraft shown in this video was fired upon by the Taliban.
The release of video of the C-130 coming under attack took place just one day after the Taliban claimed to have shot down a British Army helicopter in the southern province of Kandahar. ISAF confirmed that a helicopter crashed and five ISAF soldiers were killed on April 26.
The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence denied that the Taliban shot down the Lynx helicopter, which is used by the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing to ferry troops such as the SAS and SBS on missions, and are also heavily armed for supporting fire. The Ministry of Defence instead claimed that the helicopter was likely brought down by a technical problem.
On at least one occasion, ISAF has denied a Taliban claim to have shot down a Coalition helicopter in Afghanistan, only to backtrack on the statement. In December 2013, the Taliban claimed to have shot down a US Army Blackhawk helicopter in the southern Afghan province of Zabul and killed six soldiers.
ISAF quickly denied the report.
longwarjournal

United States rejects appeal from Egypt to deliver AH-64 helicopters

The Obama administration has turned down an urgent appeal from Egypt’s government for the delivery of U.S. Apache attack helicopters needed for counter terrorism operations in the Sinai Peninsula.
U.S. officials said the 10 AH-64 attack helicopters had been blocked from delivery in October in response to the administration’s opposition to the military ouster of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi last year.
According to U.S. officials, the Egyptians said the attack helicopters were urgently needed for Cairo’s fight in the Sinai against a Al Qaeda.
foxnews

US closer to sale, lease of Apache helicopters to Iraq

A resurgence of militants in Iraq and the chaos they are creating has gotten Washington’s attention.

Speaker of the House , urged the Obama administration Thursday to re-engage on the matter and emphasized the need to maintain a long-term commitment to securing U.S. interests in that nation.

On Wednesday, a powerful Senate Democrat has signaled that he might allow the transfer of AH-64 Apache helicopters to Iraq as the government in Baghdad struggles to recapture key territory seized by Islamic extremists.

Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, has blocked the lease and sale of the powerful attack helicopters for months seeking for assurances that Iraq would not use them to attack civilians, and that the government in Baghdad would take steps to stop Iran from using Iraqi airspace to ship arms to Syria.

The Obama administration has proposed selling up to 30 of the helicopters to the Iraqis, but, because building them could take years, it has also asked to lease up to 10 aircraft in the interim. Administration officials said the Apaches could be useful in targeting fighters affiliated with al Qaida like those who have taken over parts of Fallujah and Ramadi.

The US administration also is planning to ship more Hellfire missiles as early as this spring, 10 ScanEagle surveillance drones in coming weeks and 48 Raven surveillance drones later in the year. Those come on top of Aerostat surveillance balloons provided in September and three additional Bell IA-407 helicopters sent last month.
stripes

Iraqi air force strikes city to try to oust al Qaeda

Iraqi government forces battling an al Qaeda offensive near the Syrian border launched an air strike on Ramadi city on Sunday killing 25 Islamist militants, according to local officials.
Government officials in western Anbar province met tribal leaders to urge them to help repel al Qaeda-linked militants who have taken over parts of Ramadi and Falluja, strategic Iraqi cities on the Euphrates River.
Al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been steadily tightening its grip in the vast Anbar province in recent months in a bid to create a Sunni Muslim state straddling the frontier with Syria.
But last week's capture of positions in Ramadi and large parts of Falluja was the first time in years that Sunni insurgents had taken ground in the province's major cities and held their positions for days.
Local officials and tribal leaders in Ramadi said that 25 suspected militants were killed in the air force strike, which targeted eastern areas of the city early on Sunday.
In Falluja, ISIL's task has been made easier by disgruntled tribesmen who have joined its fight against the government.
In Iraq, al Qaeda fighters had been controlling large parts of the desert in western Iraq along the Syrian border but have been driven back by a military campaign in recent days aimed at preventing them taking land.
In Ramadi, where tribesmen and the army have been working together to counter the al Qaeda insurgents, ISIL snipers positioned themselves on rooftops and fought small battles in the city.
ISIL fighters held on to their positions in the outskirts of Fallujah and have used police and government vehicles inside the city for patrols, some flying a black flag associated with al Qaeda from the vehicles.
news.yahoo

U.S. expedites delivery of missiles, drones to Iraq amid violence

The United States has delivered dozens of Hellfire air-to-ground missiles to Iraq in recent weeks and plans shipments of Scan Eagle drones next year amid a surge in violence.
Al Qaeda-linked militants have stepped up attacks on government and anyone seen to be supporting it. The United Nations estimates that more than 8,000 people have been killed in attacks in Iraq this year.
About 75 Hellfire missiles were delivered to Iraq last week, and a shipment of 10 unmanned Scan Eagles surveillance drones is due next year.
The U.S. has already said the first of 18 F-16 fighter jets promised to Iraq will be delivered in the fall of 2014, with the entire order to be shipped over the course of two years.
reuters

US poised to support French forces in Africa

U.S. forces are standing at the ready to provide support for French and African troops battling rebel forces in the Central African Republic.
Paris has yet to make a formal request for American troops or military assets to back up the United Nations-mandated peacekeeping mission in the central African nation, Sporadic gun battles have repeatedly broken out between Christian rebel fighters and government troops for weeks in the African country, ever since Central African Republic President President Francois Bozize was ousted in coup in March.
Nearly 100 people have been killed in the ensuing violence, prompting the U.N. to send in the French peacekeeping force, backed by African Union soldiers.
The Pentagon deployed American intelligence and airpower assets into Mali in February, in support of the massive French counterterrorism campaign in the country.
During the four-month counterterrorism operation, French units were able to push out fighters with al Qaeda's West African cell, known as al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, who had taken over the northern part of the country.
French and African forces were able to flush out AQIM fighters from the northern city of Gao and group's various strongholds in the country.
thehill

Iraq to press U.S. on drones, F-16s to fight al Qaeda

The Baghdad government wants the immediate delivery of U.S. drones and F-16 fighter jets in order to combat al Qaeda insurgents, who are making swift advances in the west of the Iraq.
Washington agreed in August to supply a integrated air defence system and F-16 fighter jets, with delivery due in autumn 2014.
Iraq Prime Minister, has also requested drones to carry out surveillance of Iraq's desert border with Syria.
But Deputy National Security Adviser said Iraq needs them now.
reuters

The Netherlands mull commandoes, AH-64 attack helicopters for Mali

The Netherlands is considering sending some 400 soldiers including elite commandos, as well as Apache attack helicopters to war-torn Mali following an appeal for more UN peacekeepers.
The plan follows an urgent request by the UN's special representative in the west African country for more blue helmets as its peacekeeping force faced a new surge of Islamist attacks.
It also pondered sending 70 intelligence officers, a small force of training staff and soldiers to protect the task force.
The Dutch cabinet is said to make a decision on the issue within the next two weeks.
The UN special representative to Mali, former Dutch politician Bert Koenders, told the Security Council on Wednesday that Mali's international force needed helicopters and troops as it built up to replace a French force that intervened this year to halt an Islamist takeover.
French troops entered Mali in January to halt an advance on the capital Bamako by Al-Qaeda linked Islamist troops and alleged Tuareg rebels.
A presidential election was held in July but militant attacks have resumed in northern Mali where extremist groups are based.
France still has 3,200 troops in Mali but wants to reduce the figure to 1,000 by the end of this year.
The Netherlands twice attempted to join a European Union-flagged military training mission to Mali, but both times the plans were dropped due to infighting within the ruling coalition.
news.yahoo.com

US relocates drones airfield after Djibouti crashes

The Pentagon is shifting its drone operations from a US base in Djibouti to a more remote airfield after local officials voiced concern about possible collisions with commercial aircraft.
"There was a concern over what would happen if a MQ-1 (Predator drone) obstructed a runway, and that it would have a significant impact on commercial air operations," said an official.
After the attacks of September 11 2001, Camp Lemonnier -- located next to the Djibouti international airport -- took on crucial strategic importance for Washington as a site for stationing special operations forces and drones for assaults on Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen and Islamist Shabab forces in Somalia.
afp

US military to fund Niger DA42 upgrade

The US Navy intends to pay for an upgrade to Niger’s two Diamond Aircraft DA42 surveillance aircraft.
One aircraft will be outfitted with an L-3 Wescam MX-15 electro-optical/infrared sensor with a range-finding laser, plus data transmission and encryption capabilities and new operator display screens. The second aircraft will gain satellite communications equipment and radios.
The US military has been actively upgrading intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) equipment for Sahel-region governments, ostensibly to allow for operations against Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
At least two US-owned General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft are based in Niamey, Niger’s capital, to conduct ISR operations over Mali. As the border between Mali and Niger is essentially porous, operations are thought to be conducted over Niger in addition to other area nations.
flightglobal

New Sikorsky S-97 Raider similar to the mysterious Stealth “Osama Bin Laden raid” helicopter?

This week, Sikorsky is expected to start the assembly of the S-97 Raider helicopter prototype.
The helicopter, among the choppers pitched for the U.S. Army’s Armed Aerial Scout program, to replace the Army’s aging fleet of OH-58 Kiowa Warriors, in use since the late 1960s, features a futuristic shape (compared to that of current helos) and is based on Sikorsky’s X-2 technology.
The S-97 will be a high-speed helicopter with coaxial main rotors and pusher propeller with a capability to either accomodate six troops or sensor in addition to the two pilots in the typical side-by-side cockpit.
The image of the first fuselage, released by Sikorsky, brings to light some interesting details about the Raider and a loose similarity with the MH-X Stealth Black Hawk helicopter exposed by the Osama Bin Laden raid.
Not only the Raider’s nose section is compatible with the concept I developed with AviationGraphic’s Ugo Crisponi in 2011 but the new chopper features a retractable landing gear is a feature that we thought was among the things that could keep the MH-X stealth and silent.
Most probably the MH-X (whose shape remains unknown) is different from the S-97, however it is safe to believe tha Sikorsky has embedded some of the features developed for the secret, radar evading U.S. Army Stealth Black Hawk used by the Navy SEALs at Abbottabad in May 2011, in the new chopper pitched to the Army.
theaviationist

Yemen receives its first US reconnaissance aircraft to aid in fight against Al Qaeda

Yemen's defense minister says his country has received two U.S. reconnaissance airplanes, its first delivery of the aircraft as part of an aid package to help fight terrorism.

The training and aircraft come after Washington relaunched efforts to aid the struggling nation. U.S. defense officials say Washington has delivered more than a dozen helicopters to the Yemeni military this year.

During his recent visit to Washington, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi asked President Barack Obama to provide his country with drone technology. Washington's drone war in Yemen has expanded under Obama, killing hundreds of alleged militants.

foxnews

U.S. documents detail al-Qaeda’s efforts to fight back against drones

Al-Qaeda’s leadership has assigned cells of engineers to find ways to shoot down, jam or remotely hijack U.S. drones, hoping to exploit the technological vulnerabilities of a weapons system that has inflicted huge losses upon the terrorist network, according to top-secret U.S. intelligence documents.
Although there is no evidence that al-Qaeda has forced a drone crash or interfered with flight operations, U.S. intelligence officials have closely tracked the group’s persistent efforts to develop a counterdrone strategy since 2010.
Al-Qaeda commanders are hoping a technological breakthrough can curb the U.S. drone campaign, which has killed an estimated 3,000 people over the past decade. The airstrikes have forced ­al-Qaeda operatives and other militants to take extreme measures to limit their movements in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and other places.

US special forces on alert overseas to strike any potential Al Qaeda targets

American special forces units overseas have been on alert for the past several days for a mission to attack potential al Qaeda targets if those behind the most recent terror threats against U.S. interests can be identified, a senior U.S. administration official told.
security.blogs.cnn

US drone kills 3 Qaeda suspects in Yemen

A US drone strike killed three suspected Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen at dawn on Tuesday in the second such attack in three days.
globalpost

Secret move keeps military records on bin Laden raid in the shadows

The country's top special operations commander ordered military files about the Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden's hideout to be purged from Defence Department computers and sent to the CIA, where they could be more easily shielded from ever being made public.
The secret move, described briefly in a draft report by the Pentagon's inspector general, set off no alarms within the Obama administration even though it appears to have sidestepped federal rules and perhaps also the Freedom of Information Act.
news.yahoo

US military may take over part of CIA drone war

President Barack Obama's administration is looking at easing the secrecy around the drone war against Al-Qaeda by shifting control for some air strikes from the CIA to the US military, officials say.
But the move would likely not apply to drone attacks in Pakistan, where most of the bombing raids take place.
And even if the policy change is carried out, Obama has no intention of abandoning a tactic that his advisers say has decimated the Al-Qaeda network.
spacewar

American troops in Niger to set up drone base

President Barack Obama said Friday that about 100 American troops have been deployed to the African nation of Niger. Two U.S. defense officials said the troops would be setting up a base for unarmed drones to conduct surveillance.
Obama announced the deployment in a letter to Congress, saying that the forces "will provide support for intelligence collection and will also facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations in Mali, and with other partners in the region."
The move marks a deepening of U.S. efforts to stem the spread of al-Qaida and its affiliates in the volatile region. It also underscores Obama's desire to fight extremism without involving large numbers of U.S. ground forces.
The drone base will allow the U.S. to give France more intelligence on the militants its forces have been fighting in Mali, which neighbors Niger. Over time, it could extend the reach not only of American intelligence-gathering but also U.S. special operations missions to strengthen Niger's own security forces.

militarytimes