INSIGHT

AFSOC assist with ISR training on Honduras Maules

A USAFSOC C-145 sits on the ramp at Coronel Caraccioli Moncada on August 29, 2013. It finally departed on September 19. The USAF is believed to have 15 PZL Mielec Skytrucks on its inventory. All photos, Author
A USAFSOC C-145 sits on the ramp at Coronel Caraccioli Moncada on August 29, 2013. It finally departed on September 19. The USAF is believed to have 15 PZL Mielec Skytrucks on its inventory. All photos, Author
Maule MXT-7-80 Star Rocket FAH-274 was seen in April 2013 with a small FLIR bolted on to its port strut.
Maule MXT-7-80 Star Rocket FAH-274 was seen in April 2013 with a small FLIR bolted on to its port strut.

 

A US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) C-145A Skytruck, serialled 00323, recently spent three weeks at Coronel Caraccioli Moncada at La Ceiba-Goloson IAP in Honduras, where it flew local sorties with a Honduran Air Force Maule. 

Within the past year, the Honduras Air Force (HAF) has fitted a small FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) turret underneath the port wing of one of their Maule MXT-7-80 Star Rocket trainers in a bid to carry out much needed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties in the area. 

Personnel from the USAF Special Operations Command have been teaching the HAF on how to use the system effectively.  It is unclear if the HAF has more than one FLIR as the system was originally fitted on FAH-274 (enclosed) but was also seen on FAH-276, when an AFSOC pilot was seen on board.

The Skytruck based with 27th Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico arrived around August 29, when it was first seen and didn’t depart until September 19.  Mario Theresin