Page 97 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

The main US Central Command (CENTCOM) An F-15C Eagle assigned to the Florida
theatre reserve was the Special Purpose Marine Air National Guard’s 159th Expeditionary
Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Fighter Squadron flying a combat air patrol
Central Command or SPMAGTF-CR-CC, at mission over Syria. USAF/MSgt Russ Scalf
Ahmed al Jaber AB in Kuwait. This composite
US Marine Corps unit included MV-22 tiltrotors
from VMM-161 and two KC-130J tanker/
transports from VMGR-252, which were
on standby to rapidly move a battalion of
marines to deal with emergency situations.
As the withdrawal operation gathered
momentum, the US, British and French
special forces started pulling out of a string
of small forward operating locations across
northwestern Syria – falling back on the US
airstrip 15 miles (25km) south of Kobanî.
In a race to escape advancing Syrian,
Russian and Turkish columns, allied special
forces often left their forward bases with
only a few minutes to spare. At one site
near Manbij – that was captured intact
by Syrian troops on October 14 – Russian
journalists filmed half-eaten meals left on
the mess hall tables. This abandoned facility
had been home to a British Special Air
Service (SAS) contingent since early 2018.
To prevent the former US special forces
headquarters in northwestern Syria being
captured, the Americans called in two Strike
Eagles to destroy a huge ammunition dump.
A vast plume of smoke and dust engulfed
the base that had been set up in a former On October 14, USAF C-17 and C-130 transport 437th Airlift Wing (AW) at Charleston AFB in
cement factory north of Raqqa city. aircraft started flying into the strip to pull out South Carolina. They shuttled between Kobanî
The American airstrip, dubbed the Kobanî the 600 US and allied troops who were now and the US installations at Harir and Ali al Salem
Landing Zone, was built in a field by US surrounded here, after Syrian, Russian and in Kuwait, helped by the SPMAGTF-CR-CC.
military engineers in 2016 to open the way Turkish troops threatened to cut all the roads to The British contingent of special forces
for giant cargo aircraft to land the heavy Iraq. An L-100-30 Hercules flown by a charter troops and intelligence experts was now
arms used by the Kurds to defeat IS and company linked to the CIA – its modern- concentrated on the airstrip alongside US
capture their ‘capital’ Raqqa. The massive day ‘Air America’ – was also tracked landing colleagues, taking their turn to be picked up
facility included helicopter landing pads, fuel at the strip in the ensuing days. The bulk of by RAF Hercules flown by No 47 Squadron.
dumps, ammo bunkers and prefabricated these missions were flown by C-17s from the
accommodation for several hundred troops. An expeditionary airlift squadron assigned to Striking Baghdadi
RAF Hercules suffered major damage trying the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Udeid Kobanî Landing Zone (KLZ) was in a precarious
to land at the strip in 2017 and subsequently in Qatar. Aircraft were identified in imagery position. Russian, Syrian, Turkish and SDF
crash-landed at an air base in Iraq. released by the Pentagon as being from the troops were all within 10 miles (16km) of the

Above: Soldiers in the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North
Carolina Army National Guard, working on an M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicle in preparation to work alongside
Syrian Democratic Forces to help protect critical infrastructure in eastern Syria. US Army/Spc DeAndre Pierce
Left: A US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey from the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve,
lands at one of the US outposts in Syria. The SPMAGTF-CR-CC is designed to move with speed and precision to
support operations throughout the Middle East. US Army/Spc Alec Dionne Below: UH-60 Black Hawks assigned to
CJTF-OIR continue to help support Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria. US Army/Spc DeAndre Pierce

www.Key.Aero #383 February 2020 // 95

06/01/2020 10:44:47
92-97 Syria AFM Feb2020.indd 95 06/01/2020 10:44:47
92-97 Syria AFM Feb2020.indd 95