With the altitudes they've been flying at, shoulder mounted MANPADs are a viable option.
replyUS also has A-10s doing gun runs in Iraq too. It makes sense the US is more willing to take risks 1-month into the war given how effective they've been and for Iran to also adapt their manpad teams after they probably failed a ton of times previously.
replyYou saw the same pattern where Ukraine and Russia both constantly adapted on the battlefield and the war changed rapidly over the first year.
Waiting to see the Shaheds with AA missiles like Russia was using (until their starlink was finally shut off late last year)
replyIf you go over 3000m then manpads are not useful I think.
replySure, but there are videos of US war planes strafing, like that near hit clip.
replyYeah I have seen the clip with Iran polices firing at the UH-60s, which is very concerning. Sure SIGINT makes sure there is no serious AD but there is no way to guarantee that there is no MANPADs somewhere close.
replyWhich is why any "adventures" that involve boots on the ground will come with a significant rise in US casualties. Few Americans have likely seen the videos from the Russian Invasion, of what modern war with $1000 quadcopters dropping grenades on terrified soldiers looks like.
reply