The US Air Force showed for the first time in Europe how they will ‘bomb’ the enemy with cruise missiles from a cargo plane (video)
In the USA, they are successfully converting their cargo planes into 'missile carriers'
The US Air Force used its Rapid Dragon system for the first time during tests abroad, which involves launching ‘palletized’ cruise missiles from a cargo plane.
Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM-ER) cruise missiles were fired from an MC-130J Commando II aircraft (352nd Special Operations Wing) during a flight over the Norwegian Sea on Wednesday, November 9.
#BREAKING video from 352nd Special Operations Wing successful test fire of a palletized Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). Successful extraction of deployment box, release of JASSM with wing extension, and motor engagement during exercise #ATREUS22 #SOFinEurope pic.twitter.com/3hLcXDJ3bl
— US Spec Ops Europe (@US_SOCEUR) November 9, 2022
The head of the Rapid Dragon program, Dean Evans, noted that the tests were successful and in two years they managed to move from a concept on paper to tests with a combat ‘reset’.
So, during the tests, a ‘pallet’ with four missiles was dropped from the plane. When this ‘pallet’ is in a vertical position, a rocket is released from it, which later flew over the sea for about 2 minutes, after which it exploded. It is not known whether the target was destroyed, but it is noted that ‘all tasks were completed.’
It was the first test with combat launches since tests in December 2021, when the US Air Force destroyed a target in the Gulf of Mexico.
