Israel Matzav

US used 'stealth' helicopters against Bin Laden

Shavua tov v'chodesh tov, a good week and a good month (since we can sanctify the moon tonight) to everyone.

The New York Times reports that at least one of the helicopters that was used to take out Osama Bin Laden at the beginning of the week had been modified to give it 'stealth' characteristics.

The commandos blew up one of the helicopters after it was damaged in a hard landing, but news photographs of the surviving tail section reveal modifications to muffle noise and reduce the chances of detection by radar.

The stealth features, similar to those used on advanced fighter jets and bombers, help explain how two of the helicopters sped undetected through Pakistani air defenses before reaching the Bin Laden compound in Abbottabad. The use of the specially equipped helicopters also underscores the extent to which American officials wanted to get to Bin Laden without tipping off Pakistani leaders.

Analysts said the raid was a rare case in which stealth aircraft, devised for conventional warfare during the cold war, became critical to fighting terrorism.

Read the whole thing. This line really hit home.

The top stealth fighter, the F-22, has never been flown in combat. The long-range B-2 bombers have been used sparingly, including a recent bombing run that destroyed an airfield in Libya.

I am sure that Israel would have uses for stealth aircraft.

Labels: Blackhawk helicopter, F-22, Sikorsky, stealth aircraft

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:24 PM