A couple of thoughts.

This helo must be in some sort of limited field trials or in limited service if it was available on a few days notice to fly down from Afghanistan to take part in this attempt. Likely not flown over on a C-17 on such short notice is my guess (and only a guess).

Was there more than one of these “modified” H-60’s used in this raid. A lot of the info I have seen said two H-60 types and two CH-47’s. Wonder if there are thoughts on if the Chinooks had any stealth mods?

The US should definitely urge the Pakistanis in no uncertain terms that they need to return the wreckage immediately.

I think what a country like China could learn from wreckage such as this would be materials/metallurgy based. The obvious visual stealth features that anyone can glean from just looking at a photo of a Comanche are well known. RAM coatings, bonded plastics/composites and modern alloys such as they might still exist in the wreckage are the real prize here for a country like China.

my two cents.

Canadian Armed Forces Sorties to date as of May 1st

CF-188 Hornet 196
CC-150 Polaris 75
CP-140 Aurora 30

A pretty substantial set of numbers for 10 total airframes (6 Hornets, 2 Polaris Tankers and two Aurora MPA’s)

In just a little under two weeks from today Canadians will be going to the polls to elect a Federal government.

Canada’s intention to purchase the F-35 is fast becoming a large political issue in the campaign and with that in mind CPAC (Canada’s equivalent to the American C-SPAN political affairs channel) has produced a one hour documentary called “F-35 – The Politics of Procurement”. It can be viewed on demand here:

The documentary is definitely worth watching for anyone interested in the F-35 and in my opinion it speaks to why its procurement is not only becoming a controversy in Canada but in other nations as well.

As of April 10th the Canadian Armed Forces have carried out approximately 143 combat sorties in and around Libya broken down as follows:

CF-188 Hornet – 90
CC-150 Polaris – 39
CP-140 Aurora – 14

courtesy Canadian DND.

The GBU-12 Paveway II has been the primary air to ground store used and unconfirmed reports out of Ottawa are stating that upwards of 30 such weapons have been used to date. The CF-188’s are using Sniper XR pods for self designation.

I think this one might have slipped under the radar of most of us.

The Canadian Armed Forces are not only participating in Libyan operations via NATO right now but they are also currently responsible for Air Policing of Icelandic airspace with a detachment of CF-18’s from CFB Cold Lake and a CC-130 tanker from CFB Trenton based out of Keflavik on TDY until early May.

http://www.comfec-cefcom.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/ops/ignition/index-eng.asp

Canadian Defense Minister McKay in a daily briefing just confirmed that two CF-18’s and one CC-150 Polaris Tanker participated in another “defensive counter air” mission over Libya.

The CC-150 also provided fuel to other coalition aircraft and not just the CF-18’s.

Naples Italy will be the location of a “National Command Component” Headquarters unit that is deploying now and should be up and running in the coming days to coordinate the Canadian deployment and liase with allies.

Two CF-18’s today were tasked to hit a Libyan Airfield in an offensive counter air mission but they did not drop ordnance as the pilots deemed there to be too high a risk of collateral damage. This sortie just ended within the hour.

Video footage from the CF shows the CF-18’s carrying three AMRAAM’s, two AIM-9’s and a Sniper Pod. There is also video of Paveway II LGB’s being prepped.

I have scoured the web looking for anything confirming if the Libyans have tried to sortie any planes or helos since this intervention started on the weekend.

Anyone know if they have tried anything specific other than the aforementioned ground units? I have seen T-72’s, ZSU-23-4’s and some old BM-21’s in flames but nothing else.

AWACS, Tankers and even ordnance can be given to The Arab Air Forces who rightly should be on the sharp end of any No Fly Zone.

Tunisia and Egypt have bases. Even Benghazi could be used as either a base or a temporary refeulling/rearming point.

Egypt and the Saudis in particular should man up and take the lead on this. Egypt might but the Saudis me thinks would not like the optics of assisting one Arab dictator fall yet still repress their own people at home. And the Arab League turning into something other than another useless International Talking Shop (which is all it is now) would be a good thing for the overall stability of the region as well.