Special Operations Aviation

Latest in Special Operations Aviation

Air Force special operations aviators are now training on AT-802U aircraft ahead of the arrival of their first OA-1K Sky warden light attack planes while questions grow about the program's future.

AT-802U Trainers Arrive To Prepare USAF Aviators For A Murky Light Attack Future

By Joseph Trevithick
Jul 9 2:27 PM EDT
The US Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has been testing Arctic and desert camouflage options on top of a now well-known multi-tone blue scheme.

160th SOAR Night Stalkers Testing Arctic, Desert Vinyl Camo Wraps As Global Missions Evolve

By Joseph Trevithick
Jun 28 12:39 PM EDT
MH-6s belonging to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment are now flying with a multi-tone blue camouflage scheme that looks intended primarily for use in maritime operations.

Blue Camouflage MH-6 Little Birds Point To Night Stalkers’ Pacific Pivot

By Joseph Trevithick
Jun 20 1:34 PM EDT
NH90 special forces helicopter has entered flight testing.

NH90 Special Operations Helicopter Begins Flight Testing

By Thomas Newdick
Jun 18 4:45 PM EDT
Aurora Flight Sciences has unveiled a new uncrewed fan-in-wing aircraft concept as part of ongoing work for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Revised Lift Fan Aircraft Concept Emerges From Special Ops X-Plane Program

By Joseph Trevithick
May 21 7:53 PM EDT
Green berets on Shemya

American Special Operations Forces Are At A Crossroads

By Howard Altman
May 12 2:20 PM EDT
The famed Little Bird helicopters used by the Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment are seeing a 'resurrection' after the Army's cancellation of the Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft program, but their future is still murky.

H-6 Little Bird’s Future Upended Due To Army Axing Armed Scout Helicopter

By Joseph Trevithick
May 9 1:47 PM EDT
We now have our first look at a mini-cruise missile U.S. Special Operations Command is developing that could arm AC-130J gunships and other aircraft.

Our First Look At The Tiny Cruise Missile That Aims To Arm AC-130 Gunships

By Joseph Trevithick
May 8 9:16 PM EDT
An annual special operations capability demonstration has included paragliding Marines on a mock drone hunt.

Marine Special Operations Paragliding Capabilities Emerge At Demonstration In Tampa

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick
May 8 3:45 PM EDT
US Special Operations Command says it has 'hit pause' on plans to convert an MC-130J special operations tanker/transport in a floatplane.

C-130 Floatplane Program Put ‘On Pause’ By Special Operations Command

By Joseph Trevithick
May 7 8:42 PM EDT
The next version of the famed Little Bird helicopter for the US Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has reportedly been dubbed the MH-6R.

New Night Stalker Little Bird Helicopters Now Dubbed MH-6R (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick
Feb 27 5:33 PM EST
USSOCOM is looking for companies that can provide AESA radars for its C-130 fleet.

AESA Radars For AC-130J, MC-130J Sought By SOCOM

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway
Jan 26 9:18 PM EST
The US military has released an unusual video showing an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship conducting live-fire training the Caribbean. This comes as a major crisis in the region between Guyana and Venezuela.

Unusual AC-130J Gunship Caribbean Training Video Released

By Joseph Trevithick
Dec 12 2:47 PM EST
Night Stalker Ship Training

Night Stalker MH-60 Executes Sneak Mock Assault On Navy Ship In Awesome Video

By Oliver Parken
Nov 8 7:24 PM EST
An MH-60M Black Hawk helicopter in the latest configuration utilized by the US Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and with a unusual paint job recently visited a civilian airport in Alabama.

Night Stalker MH-60 Black Hawk Spotted In Blue Camouflage

By Joseph Trevithick
Sep 29 4:50 PM EDT
Newly released pictures give a great look at just how loaded down with sensors and other specialized system the MH-60M Black Hawks assigned to the US Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment really are.

Special Ops MH-60 Seen Absolutely Crammed With Modifications

By Joseph Trevithick
Sep 21 5:32 PM EDT

Explore Special Operations Aviation

Explore Air

Aggressors
Air Force Munitions
Air Forces
Air-Launched Hypersonic Missiles
Airborne Communications
Airborne Countermeasures
Airborne Directred Energy Weapons
Airborne Electronic Warfare
Airborne Sensors
Aircraft gun systems
Airships & Blimps
Area 51
Attack
Bombers
Command & Control
Fighters
Flight Training
Helicopters
Hypersonics Aircraft
Manned ISR
Maritime Patrol
Military Aviation History
Naval Aviation
Search And Rescue
Special Operations Aviation
Stealth
Tankers
Testbeds
Trainers
Transports
Unmanned