Acting on Allied  intelligence reports of a Russian armored vehicle column transiting toward the port city of Poti on the Black Sea coast, strike aircraft of the famed VFA-41 'Black Aces' squadron were dispatched to locate and stop the military reinforcements. The convoy was located and attacked with laser-guided bombs, destroying several vehicles and halting the rest. A Russian surface-to-air (SAM) battery was also reportedly put out of commission as a secondary objective. One F/A-18 Hornet was confirmed lost to enemy ground fire, with the remaining aircraft recovering safely aboard USS Harry S. Truman. Navy Public Affairs published a statement HERE. |
Responding to the presence of Russian warships at sea in the area of NATO's Operation Noble Tempest, US Navy attack planes lanuched from the carrier battle group stationed in the Black Sea to locate and destroy them. Heavy weather made location and visual identification difficult. Some weapons were launched on two Russian ships resulting in moderate damage. Both ships were reportedly returning to port, at least temporarily out of action, but likely able to eventually return to service. Further information was released 
and surface-to-air missile systems deployed to the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia are proving to be a greater impediment to US and NATO air power in the area in support of Operation Noble Tempest. Recent missions to attempt to neutralize those defenses have proven ineffective, resulting in the loss of several US Navy warplanes. Area commanders are being forced to re-evaluate strategies necessary to counter Russian military strength in the break-away state. The Navy published limited details of recent action 
