The Aviationist Blog

U.S. CENTCOM released some interesting photos of the AH-64 gunships allegedly patrolling the Strait just as Iran moved to restrict traffic through the narrow waterway once again.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) gunboats reportedly fired on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to an advisory released by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), on Saturday Apr. 18, 2026.

The warning said the organization had received a direct notification from the ship’s master, who reported being approached by two IRGC gunboats some 20 nautical miles off the coast of Oman. No radio warning was said to have been issued before the tanker, whose identity was not disclosed, came under fire.

UKMTO WARNING 037-26 – ATTACK Report Date:18 Apr 2026 Report Time: 0920UTC Issue Date:18 Apr 2026 Source: Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of OMAN. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating.

During today’s attack agaisnt an Indian tanker by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, it seems though the vessel was initially heading outbound, but was refused by the IRGC. The vessel is then seen heading inbound towards the Gulf again, but then turns off AIS and makes a run for it… pic.twitter.com/EK5pQaJvwm

— Martin Kelly (@_MartinKelly_) April 18, 2026

The episode comes as Tehran has reimposed tight restrictions on shipping through the Strait, after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday Apr. 17, 2026 that the U.S. blockade on vessels using Iranian ports would continue. According to CENTCOM, 23 ships were forced to turn back since the blockade was enforced.

Littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) patrols the Arabian Sea during the U.S. blockade. Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around. American forces are enforcing a maritime blockade against ships entering or… pic.twitter.com/PMIBOoeJXS

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 18, 2026

In a post on Saturday, the official X account of the IRGC Navy Command said that “Every breach of promise by America will be met with a fitting response. As long as the passage of vessels from Iranian origin to Iranian destination remains under threat, the status of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in its previous state. By the will of Allah.”

هر نقض عهدی از سوی امریکا، پاسخی شایسته دارد.
تا زمانی که تردد شناورها از مبدأ ایران و به مقصد ایران مورد تهدید باشد، وضعیت تنگه هرمز به حالت قبلی باقی می‌ماند. باذن الله

— فرماندهی نیروی دریایی سپاه (@niroo_daryayi) April 18, 2026

The statement capped a confused 24 hours in which Tehran first said the Strait of Hormuz had reopened and then moved to reimpose restrictions that effectively closed it again. 

As the news of attacks on vessels in the Strait started to circulate (two Indian vessels were fired upon by IRGC Navy watercraft in the Strait and forced to turn back), U.S. Central Command released some interesting shots of U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters patrolling the waterway (actually the photos were probably taken as the aircraft were inbound the area rather than above it, somewhere off the coast of Oman or UAE).

AH-64 Apaches fly above the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol, April 17. U.S. Army Soldiers are flying in and around the strait providing a visible presence in support of freedom of navigation. pic.twitter.com/6K6cuCoqq2

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 18, 2026

On Mar. 19, 2026, during a Pentagon press briefing, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II jets supporting Operation Epic Fury had begun operating on the southern flank, targeting fast attack craft in the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that AH-64 Apache gunships were hunting one-way attack drones in the same area.

Alongside fast jets, the AH-64 is very well suited for such maritime patrol missions as it a platform combining persistence, precise sensors and a flexible weapons mix that allow the gunship helicopter to counter fast watercraft as well as OWA drones that might be launched against oil tankers and ships in a crowded littoral environment. As recent U.S. Army counter-UAS demonstrations have shown, the AH-64E can detect, track and defeat drones with multiple weapons, including the 30 mm M230 chain gun, APKWS-guided 70 mm rockets, HELLFIRE variants and even JAGM, offering crews scalable options depending on range, target size and collateral-risk considerations.

The helicopter is also well equipped on the sensor side, pairing electro-optical and infrared sights with the mast-mounted AN/APG-78 Longbow radar, which is designed to rapidly detect, classify and prioritize large numbers of contacts. In the Strait of Hormuz, where threats may include small one-way attack drones, fast attack craft and other fleeting, hard-to-sort targets, that combination makes the Apache a credible hunter-killer platform: it can build situational awareness, share data across networks, and engage everything from low, slow aerial threats to small hostile boats with direct fire, guided rockets or heavier missiles, depending on the tactical picture.

A new sequel will see Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s return in Top Gun 3, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer saying Tom Cruise had liked a proposed storyline for the new film.

After reports said that a third installation in the Top Gun saga is in the works, following 2022’s hugely successful Top Gun: Maverick, that project is now confirmed, along with Tom Cruise returning as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Variety reported along with other publications. Paramount studios made the official announcement during the annual CinemaCon presentation, with Jerry Bruckheimer also back as producer.

Bruckheimer previously said in 2024 that Tom Cruise liked the storyline that was being prepared for the next one. “We pitched Tom a story he liked. But he’s a very in-demand actor and he’s got a lot of movies lined up, so we have to wait and see,” said Bruckheimer.  

Top Gun: Maverick also featured among the new characters Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) and best friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. In the story, Maverick had returned to the famous Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island to school a bunch of young fighter pilots for a daring mission.

‘Top Gun 3’ Officially in the Works With Tom Cruise Returning https://t.co/0sTeLBQMZ3

— Variety (@Variety) April 16, 2026

These pilots are training for an upcoming mission to destroy a Uranium enrichment plant in a foreign country, defended by “fifth gen fighters” represented by Su-57s. Top Gun: Maverick grossed $1.5 billion at the global box office, against a $170 million budget for the production.

Top Gun’s realism

U.S. and Western war movies are largely realistic in terms of equipment, setting and art direction, primarily owing to the close ties between the military, industry and movie makers. This allows permissions to shoot on and use actual military equipment like jets, tanks, warships, military bases and aircraft carriers to be acquired easily.

Second is the lead in graphic design, computer technology and overall financial resources, bringing them closer to real-world military affairs. However, as is the norm about symbiotic relationship between a film industry and national politics, both the Top Gun movies had their share of propaganda, and invariably some technical errors/inauthencies, which one might not expect in a film created in cooperation with the U.S. Navy.

A still from Top Gun: Maverick showing F/A-18 Super Hornet flying at low altitude. | Source: Paramount

Some of the inaccuracies were listed in a 2019 article titled “79 Cringeworthy Errors in ‘Top Gun’” for Military.com by former F-14 RIO and journalist Ward Carrol. Among them was the famous fly-by with Maverick buzzing the air traffic control tower, which in real life would have likely resulted in immediate revocation of his flight status.

Another major one was using F-5 Tigers to represent Russian MiGs, which can however be justified as access to the legendary fighters was not possible with the Cold War still three years away from ending. It’s a different matter that the U.S. military got Su-27s and MiG-29s from former Soviet countries, Ukraine being one of them.

Other technical flaws ranged from rank insignia on uniforms inconsistent with officers’ billets and class to instrumentation and cockpit layout in the pilot and RIO seats. Some maneuvers were also not accurate, particularly the inverted photo of the MiG as the design of the F-14 wouldn’t have allowed that in the first place. For instance, its vertical stabilizers would have stabbed into the MiG’s top fuselage, given how close the cockpits were.

The F-14 Tomcat and the 5th gen fighter, the Su-57, in Top Gun: Maverick. | Source: Paramount Top Gun: Maverick and Top Gun 3

Top Gun: Maverick was a box office hit, resoundingly receiving the stamp of approval from fans of the original film. Particularly, the makers incorporated the late Val Kilmer’s real-life cancer into his character Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, and his relationship with Maverick evolving into mutual respect, professional and personal, hit closer to home.

The biggest fictional element was the Darkstar Hypersonic Aircraft, which was specifically designed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division for the film. As the original one, this movie too could not escape some technical inaccuracies. 

Among them is the final strike mission, showing the site defended by Cold War-era S125 Neva/Pechora (SA-3 Goa) missiles despite the presence of 5th gen fighters. A location like that would have a layered integrated air defense, like S-300s and Buk-M1s (for medium range) and S-400s as a long-range theater-level anti-air battery.

Film director Joseph Kosinski poses with the Darkstar mockup, with Tom Cruise inside the cockpit. | Source: Lockheed Martin

We are far from knowing what real-world adversary aircraft will be incorporated in Top Gun 3. Inaccuracies aside, the movie is sure to be an exciting watch, for pilots, audiences, and aviation nerds alike.

Lt. Pete Mitchell was a Navy Captain in Top Gun: Maverick. Time will tell which new role he will assume in the new film, maybe finally getting promoted to a Rear Admiral and passing the torch to “Rooster.” 

Despite being one of the oldest aircraft still flying in U.S. service, the U-2 remains relevant enough for Skunk Works to seek a qualified pilot in Palmdale.

Skunk Works, the legendary Lockheed Martin’s secretive advanced projects division, is hiring a U-2 pilot in Palmdale, California.

The job posting, that you can find here, calls for an onsite, full-time, first-shift position in Test Engineering for an experienced professional pilot, with a 4x10h schedule and possible relocation, and it is clearly framed as a test-oriented role rather than routine operational flying: according to the listing, the pilot would conduct engineering flight tests, production-acceptance flights, and flight-test support, help verify aircraft compliance and operational suitability, coordinate flight-operations efforts, approve cockpit configuration, and, if needed, perform demonstration flights for customers and government officials.

The ad, published on Apr. 6, 2026, says applicants must be no more than two years outside qualification on the U-2S Dragon Lady, hold a current FAA Class I or II medical, and possess either a suitable FAA Commercial Pilot certificate for multi-engine land and instrument airplane or an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot), while also being willing to travel, holding a valid U.S. passport, and arriving with an active Top Secret clearance.

Among the desired qualifications are 1,000 flight hours, graduation from a formal Test Pilot School, background in flight-test disciplines such as weapons, avionics and flight sciences, as well as instructor/training, communication, organizational and leadership or program-integration experience.

The posted compensation is a California salary range of $156,400 to $275,655 outside most major metro areas and $179,800 to $311,650 in most major metro areas, although the final offer depends on factors such as experience, training, skills, scope and business considerations; listed benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, parental leave, paid time off, holidays, education assistance, and incentive-plan eligibility.

U-2 pilot. | Source: USAF

The emergence of the job posting is quite interesting, considering the iconic Dragon Lady was slated for retirement from U.S. Air Force service this year. However, while some U-2s have already been withdrawn from active service, the aircraft’s retirement date is far from settled, and the sundown of the type remains under intense congressional scrutiny.

In fact, U-2s are still flying active intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions on a daily basis from forward operating locations, and there is little sign of that activity slowing down at least for now. USAF U-2s are home based at the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, California, but are rotated to operational detachments worldwide, including RAF Fairford, UK; Osan Air Base, South Korea, and RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. The latter sustained damage from an Iranian kamikaze drone launched in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli air strikes, last month.

In line with such continuous postponement of its retirement, in 2023 Lockheed Martin announced the first flight of the U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR), carried out by Skunk Works in partnership with the U.S. Air Force. The company said the flight tested an updated avionics suite, new cockpit displays and a mission computer designed to the Air Force’s open mission systems standard, with further testing planned to mature the software baseline before more mission systems were added. 

More recently, BAE Systems was awarded a contract to support and sustain the U-2’s AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System (ADS), another sign that the aircraft is still receiving updates and meaningful attention rather than simply being allowed to age out quietly. 

As for Palmdale, Plant 42 remains a hub for major activity involving the type, and the job posting seems to suggest Lockheed Martin expects the Dragon Lady to continue generating the kind of work that may require highly specialized pilot support for quite some time.

A U-2 Dragon Lady takes off for the first flight of the Avionics Tech Refresh program in Palmdale, California. | Source: Lockheed Martin

Eventually, it should not be forgotten that, beyond its operational role, the U-2 is still valued as a high-altitude testbed. Testing campaigns conducted over the last five years have leveraged the aircraft’s open architecture and its ability to integrate new technology quickly. The U-2 has been involved in containers and AI/ML experimentation, open-mission-systems integration, and gateway or data-sharing roles between different platforms. A Skunk Works pilot current on the U-2 would be useful if Lockheed is using the aircraft to trial payloads, communications systems, sensors, or battle-management concepts that may feed current and future programs.

Another (even more speculative) possibility is that Lockheed could employ a U-2 pilot as part of work on or around future classified ISR aircraft, using the Dragon Lady as a surrogate, a risk-reduction platform, or a bridge capability. With the RQ-180 spy drone slowly beginning to emerge from the shadows of black programs, there is a chance Skunk Works is maturing new manned or unmanned ISR concepts. In that context, having a U-2 pilot with a test background could make sense for comparative flying, sensor work, or manned-ISR experimentation. 

Whatever, if you are interested and your profile fits the requirements, you’d better hurry: you have less than a month to apply, as the deadline is May 15, 2026.

The attempted strike on Diego Garcia would mark a major escalation, highlighting Tehran’s apparent ability to target the strategic U.S.-UK base deep in the Indian Ocean and potentially put parts of Europe within reach.

Iran has launched two missiles at the joint UK-U.S. base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, about 4,000 km away. Such a distance is well within the range separating Tehran from many European capitals. According to U.S. officials who talked to the Wall Street Journal, one ballistic missile reportedly failed because of a malfunction and did not reach the base, whilst the other was engaged by a U.S. destroyer utilizing an SM-3 interceptor.

Neither of the missiles hit the base, still, regardless of the outcome of the attack, the attempted strike with the IRBM, marks a potential turning point in the conflict. The choice of target, is a telling signal. The United Kingdom has just decided to grant the United States the use of its bases for the strikes, and British assets, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced, have therefore become legitimate targets.

Until now, it had been believed that the intermediate-range missiles available to Tehran were capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 2,000 km. The decision to launch against the Diego Garcia base points to significantly greater capabilities in the weapons still available to the Islamic Republic.

The IRBMs, probably Khorramshahr-4s or another IRBM type, make not only Diego Garcia and other bases in the Middle East, but also many European capitals, potential targets within Tehran’s theoretical reach.

The Khorramshahr-4 is likely the intermediate-range ballistic missile that Iran used in the attempted attack on Diego Garcia, which analysts had previously assessed may have a range of +4,000km, though it had only been proven at between 2,000-3,000km. Such an attack would suggest… https://t.co/bLj7XzvKlz pic.twitter.com/fGMPtDs2Ih

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 21, 2026

U.S. and Israeli raids have significantly reduced Iran’s missile-launching capabilities. According to figures cited in recent days by U.S. President Donald Trump, Tehran has retained only 8% of its original capability. It is estimated that, before the conflict began, Tehran had at least 1,000 to 1,500 missiles. Among them, the Soumar has a range that is, in any case, below 3,000 km. Sejjil missiles can strike targets at a distance of 2,000 km. Shahed drones can also be used in medium- to long-range raids, considering that they can operate up to 1,700 km from their launch point. Still, despite being degraded, Iran continues to retain the ability to launch kamikaze drones and missiles, most likely relying on mobile launchers that are more difficult for U.S. and Israeli forces to detect and target, especially in dispersed areas in the eastern part of the country.

Although U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said during a briefing on Mar. 4, 2026, that ongoing operations against Iran were shifting from stand-off to stand-in strikes, using precision-guided bombs and shorter-range missiles, the continued use of AGM-158 JASSMs (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles) observed on the external pylons of the B-52s departing RAF Fairford, U.K., on Mar. 20, 2026, suggests there is still a fairly significant requirement for stand-off munitions. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed on Mar. 13 that only 1% of the munitions being used were stand-off weapons, while also stating that “Iran has no air defenses.”

Diego Garcia

Though officially a British territory and British base, Diego Garcia is predominantly used by U.S. forces. Alongside communications and intelligence gathering facilities, both of which were major justifications for establishing this permanent military outpost in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia’s airfield is one of only three locations outside of the continental U.S. equipped with dedicated hangar facilities for the B-2 Spirit, and it can accommodate a vast number of strategic bombers, air to air refuelers, and intelligence gathering aircraft. In 2025, the base saw its first known fighter deployment of F-15E Strike Eagles. 

The base has been at the center of dispute earlier this year, over a Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill, which intended to formalise and, in essence, ratify the deal signed between the UK and Mauritius in May 2025 that would see sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) ceded to Mauritius in return for a 99-year guaranteed lease of Diego Garcia for continued military use. Upon its expiration, this 99-year lease could be extended for up to 40 years. 

Critics claimed that ceding sovereignty places the base at risk of foreign espionage and interference. Just as it was set to head into the final stages of debate, the bill was paused after an amendment by the UK opposition party called into question whether the bill’s effects are in breach of a still-in-effect 1966 agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom regarding military use of Diego Garcia. The first clause of this agreement states that “The Territory shall remain under United Kingdom sovereignty”.

An RAF Typhoon was pictured at BAE Systems Warton carrying two seven round LAU-131 rocket pods, which can be used to fire APKWS guided munitions against surface and, importantly, air targets. 

The images, taken by Tech Digital Photography, mark the first time that we’ve seen a Typhoon outfitted with a rocket pod in the flesh. While rocket pods were integrated with many aircraft that the Typhoon has ended up replacing, until relatively recently these were largely for unguided rockets in an air to surface role and deploying such a non-precision weapon from a fast jet no longer aligned with the operating practices of many air forces.

Now, though, the introduction of the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) guidance kit for Hydra 70 rockets over the past decade has granted such munitions a new lease of life. Initially envisaged as a way to precisely strike softer targets, preserving larger munitions for more valuable, hardened targets, the APKWS kit has now been well proven in an anti-air capacity against the emerging threat of small, inexpensive uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). 

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 20th Fighter Wing, sits at the hot cargo pad after being loaded with rockets at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Jun. 11, 2025. (Image credit: USAF/ Airman 1st Class Nyanda Walker-Potts)

Recently integrated on mainline U.S. Air Force fighters like the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15E Strike Eagle, APKWS rocket pods are now very commonly seen carried by these aircraft into combat – including during the ongoing U.S. war with Iran. As well as being less expensive than dedicated air to air munitions like the AIM-9X Sidewinder, these rockets can also be carried in far greater quantities. This allows each aircraft to engage many more targets before needing to return to an airfield to be reloaded, an important factor when being faced with dozens or even hundreds of incoming drones. 

BAE Systems has developed a dual mode laser/infrared seeker for APKWS for precisely this counter-UAS (C-UAS) purpose, which will eliminate the current need for continual lasing of the intended target. 

With the UK Defence Investment Plan (#DIP) due Monday (or so I have been led to believe), we’re all expecting to be put out of our collective misery re #NMH. Another announcement I’ve been told to maybe expect is related to #APKWS rockets on the #Eurofighter Typhoon for low-cost… pic.twitter.com/RmAdpTWCQk

— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) December 12, 2025

The acquisition of APKWS II by the Royal Air Force for deployment from its Typhoon force has been strongly rumored in recent months, with anticipations that such a decision is due to be announced in the still heavily delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP). The timely appearance of rocket pods on this Typhoon – marked with the insignia of the RAF’s 41 Test & Evaluation (TES) Squadron but thought to be in use directly by BAE Systems – should not be taken as a definitive confirmation of this plan, though, as BAE Systems already announced that integrating APKWS II was under consideration.

Any comment on the subject from the Royal Air Force itself has been tight-lipped. 

Both UK and Germany tell me there are no current plans to equip @eurofighter #Typhoon with rockets for the counter-#drone mission, but not to say it won’t happen. Waiting to hear from Italy and Spain. 1/3 https://t.co/OSOKTcLKBT pic.twitter.com/EnXWFOYItJ

— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) June 25, 2025

These trials, then, may be BAE Systems getting out ahead of time with their anticipation of potential future orders by the RAF as well as overseas Typhoon operators. When any procurement decisions are then made, the weapon will be available for use far more quickly. 

 

          View this post on Instagram                      

 

A post shared by Tech_Photog (@tech_photog)

Tech Digital Photography’s images do in fact appear to show that live firing trials of some form have begun, with the Typhoon pictured on the ground with a single round carried in the starboard pod. When the jet is pictured on approach to the airfield, the same pod is empty. 

 

          View this post on Instagram                      

 

A post shared by Tech_Photog (@tech_photog)

Timely Appearance

The debut of rocket pods for the Typhoon comes at a particularly coincidental time, given recent events in the Middle East. Of course, aircraft already integrated with APKWS II have been carrying these into combat amid the threat of Iranian drones, but RAF Typhoons flying from Qatar and RAF Akrotiri have instead had to rely solely on AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missiles (ASRAAMs) as their short-range infrared guided air to air missile. 

USAF F-15E in full counter drone loadout for Epic Fury. 4 X AIM-120, 4X AIM-9, 28 FALCO APKWS laser-guided rockets + the 20mm. Jet is clean aside from that, so likely has nearby tanker support and can get to where it needs to go fast.

Image via CENTCOM screencap pic.twitter.com/kTvlQCNYBr

— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 4, 2026

Typhoons can carry only four ASRAAMs per sortie – the four partially recessed fuselage hardpoints being dedicated for larger radar-guided missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM or MBDA’s Meteor. With just two of the rocket pods, each Typhoon could carry 14 APKWS rockets into battle alongside two ASRAAM. 

The massive cost of using ASRAAM in a C-UAS role has already been a point of criticism in the British press. While the cost calculations are not wrong – and the highly capable ASRAAM is indeed a massive overmatch for these low tier targets – this line of thinking does fail to consider the cost of not intercepting an incoming drone of missile, which could be far higher than the expense of an ASRAAM. 

RAF Typhoon taxiing at RAF Akrotiri in recent days, loaded with four ASRAAM, plus Meteor missiles and a LITENING targeting pod. (Image credit: Crown Copyright)

UK F-35Bs, which recently scored their first ever destruction of a hostile target when a Fleet Air Arm pilot destroyed an Iranian drone with an ASRAAM, would still have to use these higher tier missiles as rocket pods have not been integrated on this type. Theoretically, at the expense of full stealth characteristics (even more so than the already external carry only ASRAAM), there is no apparent reason why this integation could not take place, but it would have to be scheduled through the U.S. managed Integrated Test Force (ITF).

If the U.S. decides to follow this path, we may see this option emerge relatively quickly, but the UK is already plagued by delays to the integration of its weapons to the F-35B to such a point that the fleet’s only available air to ground weapon is the Paveway IV guided bomb. 

On the Typhoon, as well as offering a new C-UAS option, integration of APKWS II adds another munition to its quiver for strike missions alongside the Paveway IV, Brimstone, and Storm Shadow cruise missile. Like with the earlier comparison to the AGM-114 Hellfire, softer targets like light-skinned vehicles, unprotected enemy emplacements, or even small boats can be targeted with APKWS without expending a valuable Brimestone or high-collateral Paveway IV. Many strikes of this nature have been carried out during Operation Shader in Iraq and Syria.

Many thanks to Tech Digital Photography for allowing the use of their images in this article. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

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