#usarmy

Some great photos which were made during the USAF exercise "Cope Elite 81" in November 1981 in the beautiful skies over Hawaii. It was one of the first major USAF exercises which saw the participation of the at that time still brand new F-16A/B. Part of the training sessions were simulated air combat scenarios, ground attack missions, formation flight and aerial refueling, most of it is also visible on the photos. The F-16A/B`s on the photos (A - Single Seat version/ B - Twin Seat version) came from the 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron to Hawaii, where they operated from the Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

Normally based at Nellis Air Force Base in the desert of Nevada, the 428th TFS also exercised the rapid deployment from the continental US to hot spot regions in the Pacific. Hawaii was used in this scenario as such a kind of simulated region. The vast distances in the Pacific made aerial refueling not only extremely important, but also necessary, especially with the fact in mind that the F-16 was not a long range fighter and had only limited fuel capacities. Such a aerial refueling process is visible on one of the photos which shows two F-16A`s and a KC-135A tanker.

What is your first association with the Cold War in Europe? Probably the border between East and West Germany, which was the main "frontline" during the Cold War. It was here, where NATO and Warsaw Pact/Soviet Forces stood face to face against each other. If the Cold War would had been ever escalated, it would have been here where the first major combat actions would had happened. But there were two other "frontlines" in Europe which were also a kind of "achilles heel" of NATO. Its Northern Flank, where Norway shared a direct border with the USSR and the Southern Flank, with Greece and Turkey. Greece shared a direct border with the Peoples Republic of Bulgaria, a Warsaw Pact member state and Turkey a direct one with the USSR.

Since the 1970s the Mediterranian became to another hot spot region of the Cold War. It was during this decade that the Soviet Navy truly evolved to a major and threatening force for NATO. Away from a small coastal defense force, to a large and powerful Navy with blue water capabilities. Since the early 1970s the USSR was able to use the Syrian port of Tartus for it`s Navy. The whole decade saw a major increase of Soviet Naval activities in the region. It became quickly to a fact, that if hostilities would break out in Central Europe, also the Mediterranean region would become a major battlefield of the Cold War.

The whole defense of the region based mainly on three of it`s member states. Italy, Greece and Turkey (Spain had just a minor role in defense activities). The problem was that Greece and Turkey were far away from being stable nations. Both experienced military coups between the 1960s and 1980s, which led to short periods of military dictatorships or gouverments heavily influenced by military elements. In 1974 both nations were even on the brink of war, with Cyprus as a major reason. It remained a pretty difficult and complex relationship between the two countries.

So the US decided to strenghten the Southern Flank of NATO with US forces but also launched several initatives to improve the capabilities of Italian, Greek and Turkish forces. US Forces would had been not able to take over all the responsibilties in the region and especially the Turkish Armed Forces were not only large, but had also the potential for being one of the most capable in the region.

This photos were made during the NATO exercise "Display Determination 87`" in late 1987. This exercise saw the participation of several NATO member states, including all of Southern Europe. Led mainly by US forces, the exercise had the major goal to improve and strenghten the cooperation between the NATO member states in the region. Trained were not only Amphibious landings, but also combined force tactics, effective use of air and naval support and ground attacks with large mechanized forces. The latter one is visible on the photos. They show M1A1 "Abrams" of the US 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) during advances at Saros Bay in the North West of Turkey.

At that time the 24th Infantry Division was part of the so called Rapid Deployment Force of the US Army. This force was created as a kind of "answer" on the increasement of crisis and conflicts in the Middle Eastern region, which became especially during the 1980s to a hot spot region of the Cold War. This Rapid Deployment Force should be able to move within a short time to the region and included mainly Airborne and Mechanized assets.

There are several "worst case" scenarios, feared by high ranked US military personel and politicians connected to Nuclear Weapons. For example a "Nuclear Pearl Harbor", a surprise attack against the continental United States with Nuclear Weapons, a constant fear during the Cold War era. Or to just lose Nuclear Weapons during training exercises or similar events, something which happened far too often during the last decades. And there was a fear (And still is) which sounds like the plot from one of these great Action movies from the 1990s. That terrorists could capture a ICBM missile silo complex within the United States and/or would take the crew as hostages. Just one captured silo in such a scenario would be enough, that the United States would be confrontated with the largest existential crisis in it`s history.

Well even if it sounds like a bad action movie plot, it was serious enough to concern high ranked military planners in the US. Such concerns led to several countermeasures, including the creation of special units, assigned to ICBM missile units which not only protected such sites, but would had been also responsible for their recapture in a case of an attack against such missile sites. Such units came from special trained Air Force Security Police personel, also visible on the photos. Such units were equipped like regular Army units and operated rifles, LMG`s and if needed also anti tank weapons, mortars or sniper rifles. Supported by airmobile Air Force assets, such security forces would had been rapidly deployed to a threatened missile site in a worst case scenario like a terrorist attack.

Todays photos were made during exercises which trained exactly such a scenario. They show Air Force Security personel, supported by UH-1N`s of the 40th and 37th Rescue Flight near Missile Alert Facilities which belonged to the Malstrom Air Force Base, Montana and the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming in 1996 and 1997. Such Missile Alert Facilities contained the operational command center of the site, with the missile itself and the silo located nearby but separated. Such sites were not only perfectly disguised as farm houses or rural areas, they were also protected by electrical fences, motion sensors and surveillance cameras.

The units which participated among both exercises were the 341st Missile Wing, Malstrom AFB, at that time equipped with LGM-30G "Minuteman III" ICBMs and the 320th and 400th Missile Squadrons, both also equipped with the LGM-30G. During the late 1990s most of the "Minuteman III" ICBMs were equipped with a MIRV (multiple independently-targetable re-entry vehicle system) vehicle which included three separate W78 warheads, each with a detonation power of up to 350 kilotons.

A photo series which was made in late 1982 at the Yakima Firing Center, Washington State, during an so called Army Training and Evaluation Program (ARTEP) which saw the participation of members of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment. At that time assigned to the 9th Infantry Division and based at Fort Lewis, Washington State.

ARTEP was a pretty effective method for Commanders and Officiers of US Army units to see what their units were able to do and what not. And especially in which areas they needed improvements and more training. Such exercises simulated a variety of scenarions, no matter if releated to combat, logistics, transport, medical or even law enforcement duties. ARTEP was created to identify, collect, analyze and solve any gaps in training and knowledge of the specific unit which participated in such a exercise. In late 1982 the 2nd Infantry Regiment was choosen for this program.

Most of the US Army units based at the West Coast would have seen service in Asia in a case of conflict or even war in that theatre. No matter if with Red China, the USSR or North Korea. Not to forget smaller conflicts like the Vietnam War, even if the possibilty of the participation of US forces among such a conflict became very low after 1975 and the experiences made in South East Asia between the early 1960s and 1975. Rapid deployments were cruical in the Pacific areas as the distances were wide, but the need for quick transports of reeinforcements high. Just imagine a surprise attack by North Korean forces, similar to this one in June 1950. Even if the situation changed in a major way compared to the 1950s, with a powerful and well equipped South Korean Army and over 20.000 US forces in the country, also the North Korean Forces became much more powerful. A rapid deployment of reeinforcements from the continental US was crucial in such a scenario.

The photos shows in a good way how mobile US forces became during the early 1980s. Much lessons were learned from the conflict in South East Asia, especially regarding Airmobile units and their tactics, equipment and especially their weaknesses. Such weaknesses were analyzed and led to effective new combat tactics and improvements. The reliable "Huey" helicopter, workhorse of the Army in South East Asia, was replaced by the much larger and more powerful UH-60A "Blackhawk", also visible on the photos. One photo shows the aerial transport of a number of M151 "MUTT" by UH-60A`s.

All of the soldiers on the photos were equipped with MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engangement System) for training purposes. This system is in improved versions still in use by a large number of Armed Forces all around the world. It works mainly with laser and sensors. All soldiers carried a number of such laser sensors which could be illuminated by laser advices mounted on the weapons. As soon as a solider was illuminated by such a laser, he was "hit". A pretty good system to simulate real combat without using any kind of ammunition.

One of the soldiers carried a truly rare and interesting anti tank weapon system. The FGR-17 "Viper". A system which was comparable to the M72 "LAW" (Also visible on one of the photos, here the version M72A2), a one man disposable anti tank weapon which was shoulder fired. Similar to the M72, it became useless after one shot. The FGR-17 was developed as a successor of the M72, but suffered under major technical and especially safety problems. The fuse of the warheads worked for example not in the way it should be and detonated far too early after the firing process. Easy to imagine that this would have ended for the soldier behind the weapon with major injuries or even death.

The E-3 "Sentry" AWACS (Airborne Warning & Control System) is surely a well known aircraft type. Even people without any interest or knowledge in military aviation can easily recognize it cause of its large and pretty unique radome, mounted on top of the fuselage of the plane. Since the E-3 entered USAF and NATO service during the early 1980s, it participated among dozens of conflicts and Operations, no matter if as part of the so called "War on Drugs" during the 1980s, Operation "Just Cause" in Panama 1989, "Desert Storm" in 1991 or the GWOT during the early 2000s. But what about the E-8C JOINT-STARS (Joint Surveillance & Target Acquisition Radar System)?

The E-8C is a pretty interesting airborne system with a development history which reached back into the 1970s. At that time the USAF saw a specific need for a specialized Airborne Command and Control & Battlefield Surveillance system. Airborne Command and Control aircraft were nothing new among the USAF. Specially modified and equipped C-130 cargo planes were for example used in that role over South East Asia. But such aircraft were more a kind of "gapfiller" as a real and effective solution for such a task area.

The base for this airborne system were several used Boeing 707-320C airliner which were specially modified with state of the art avionics and electronical systems. What the USAF finally got during the 1990s, after a long development and testing phase, was a pretty effective and in USAF service unique surveillance system, which was able to detect, locate, classify, collect and relay a massive amount of information from areas on the ground, air and sea. And that in all weather conditions. Such aircraft should provide the necessary data and overview which was needed to plan and conduct complex operations on a modern battlefield.

These photos were made during Operation "Iraqi Freedom" as E-8Cs of the 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, 116th Air Control Wing from Robins AFB, Georgia supported the advance of US Forces on the ground, but coordinated also Air and Naval Operations. But they not only played an important role during "Iraqi Freedom. As the country sank into a bloody civil war from 2004/2005 on, E-8Cs coordinated US Operations and forces on the ground, which were confrontated with a pretty complex and difficult situation. Between 2004 and 2006 E-8Cs took over the coordination and communication of the large convoy system of US and Allied Forces in Iraq. At that time a network which was very chaotic and without a functional command and communication structure. The JOINT-STARS took over that role and forwarded communication between different units, coordinated supply routes etc. Cause of its excellent abilities for command and control duties, the E-8C`s performed very effective in that role. Especially because convoys became a popular target for insurgents. Communication became much more important, especially between logistical and combat units, which should protect the long supply lines within the country.

A interesting photo series which shows the past and the future of US Naval Warfare on one photograph. Visible are the aircraft carriers USS "Nimitz" (CVN-68) and the USS "John F. Kennedy" (CV-67) (The latter one is visible on just one of the photos together with the "Nimitz") during Operations in the Mediterranean in early 1987. At that time, the USS "Nimitz" and the other carriers of it`s class were the non plus ultra of US Naval Warfare. Gigantic, nuclear powered vessels, fully packed with state of the art technology and a air group which consisted over 70 aircraft. Just one of these ships was a powerful and strong signal of force and much more as a "just" a Naval asset. It was a political tool. Every aggressor knew pretty well what it meant if a US carrier appeared off coast of their country.

The "John F. Kennedy", which was the one and only vessel of its class, was of course not less powerful and still a large vessel. But its capabilties were limited. The carrier was in fact nothing more as a heavily modified conventional powered "Kitty Hawk" class vessel and even with constant modernization efforts less powerful as the modern and nuclear powered "Nimitz" class carriers. Which not made it less useful of course. It even remained in active service until 2007, nearly 40 years of US Navy service, which is pretty impressive. But the future were nuclear powered carriers.

At the time the photos were made, the USS "Nimitz" was part of Carrier Group 8, which operated in January and February 1987 in the Mediterranean also as part of several NATO exercises in the region. The core of each Carrier Group were of course the carriers, but much more important were all the escort ships. No matter if replenishment vessels, guided missile cruisers, submarines or destroyers. Some of these assets are also visible on the photos.

All of the photos show a replenishment oiler on the right side of the "Nimitz", the USS "Kalamazoo", a tanker of the "Wichtia" class. And yes, if you ask yourself now why a nuclear powered carrier like the "Nimitz" needed a tanker, well such vessels also carried fuel for aircraft or ammunition. Both essential for carrier operations.

On nearly all photos the guided missile cruiser USS "Josephus Daniels" (CG-27 - You can recognize it on the photos as the vessel with the hull number 27) also accompanied the "Nimitz" on it`s deployment in early 1987. The "Josephus Daniels" was mainly responsible for air defense duties among the Carrier Group and armed with RIM-2 "Terrier" SAM systems.

One photo shows also the guided missile destroyer USS "Richard E. Byrd" (DDG-23 - You can recognize it as the vessel with the hull number 23) nearby the "Nimitz". Similar to the "Josephus Daniels", also the "Richard E. Byrd" was mainly responsible for air defense, armed with a variety of naval SAM systems like the RIM-24 and RIM-66 , but also the capability to launch anti ship missiles like the RGM-84 "Harpoon".

To my American friends I want to wish you a 🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July 2026. 🇺🇸 🎉

Here, Sergeant Strike who is a strong supporter of democracy and freedom as he loves celebrating the birthday of the United States of America.

Note: This is my first artwork in a while after a long hiatus, haven't been creative as I had a lack of inspiration. But thankfully I found myself to be creative again.

A interesting photo series which shows US UH-60A "Blackhawk" helicopters of different US units, which supported Operations of the Honduran Army during the Joint US-Honduran exercise "Ahuas Tara II" in early 1984. Central America became during the Reagan years to one of the major hotspot regions of the Cold War, with Nicaragua shattered by a Communist influenced revolution in 1979 and El Salvador which sank into a bloody civil war between gouverment forces and Communist rebels from the late 1970s on. It were these two nations which became to major problems for the Reagan administration. A "second Cuba" should be prevented by all means. While El Salvador saw massive support from US side, probably comparable to the US support for South Vietnam during the late 1960s and especially early 1970s, Nicaragua became the stage for a brutally fought and sinister "dirty war", organized, financed and supported by the CIA. From 1980 on the CIA launched a massive program, which supported dozens of groups in the region which fought actively against the Communist Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. Groups, which contained mostly members of the former notorious National Guard under Nicaraguan dictator Somoza, a formation responsible for countless war crimes and other atrocities. These groups went into history with their umbrella term, "Contras".

The CIAs war in Nicaragua is a topic on its own, with a massive network of sinister and "dark" channels which reached from drug trafficking to illegal arms dealings and the cooperation with the organized crime in the region. But what is mostly forgotten with this "dirty war", is the fact that regular US Armed Forces were also present in the region. Large numbers of US Army, Air Force and Navy assets were deployed to or off coast of Honduras, which became to a kind of forwarded base for the US in the region. With Honduras as the most important Ally in the region for the US. This led to a major presence of US Forces in Honduras from the early 1980s on, plus a large number of Joint US and Honduran military exercises within the country.

Such exercises were a major show of force, a strong signal to the gouverment in Nicaragua that any attempt to invade or attack Honduras would lead to a massive retaliation from US side. Beside Costa Rica in the South, it was Honduras which was used by the CIAs "Contra" forces as a major "base" and "safe haven" for its Operations into Nicaragua.

"Ahuas Tara II" was one of these large military exercises which were more as a regular training for Honduran and US forces. Up to this point it was the largest US led military exercise in Honduras and consisted over 5000 US soldiers, a carrier Strike Group, the US Battleship USS "New Jersey" (BB-62) and several additional US Navy, USMC and Air Force assets. Part of the exercise was also a simulated Amphibious landing at the East Coast of Honduras by USMC forces. In the South of the country US Special Forces supported Honduran forces in COIN (Counterinsurgency) training. The whole exercise had one major goal, to prepare the Armed Forces of both nations for a possible invasion of the South of Honduras by Nicaraguan forces.