How low-flying helicopters and terrain masking helped US forces reach Madurohttps://interestingengineering.com/military/us-tech-venezuela-maduro-captureWhile the raid unfolded in less than three hours, the technical groundwork behind it stretched back months and relied on a combination of intelligence systems, electronic warfare platforms, and special operations aviation.
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According to US officials, the operation hinged on building a detailed “pattern of life” profile of Maduro, a task led by the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence bodies.
Surveillance focused on understanding how the Venezuelan leader moved, where he slept, and how his security apparatus functioned. This intelligence preparation phase was essential to timing the raid and selecting the moment when Maduro was located at the Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas.
Stealth surveillance and persistent intelligence on Venezuelan territory
Much of the long-term monitoring relied on advanced aerial surveillance systems. US intelligence reportedly used stealth drones to maintain near-continuous observation over Caracas, allowing analysts to map facilities, movement patterns, and defensive layouts without triggering Venezuelan air defenses.
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US officials suggested that large parts of Caracas lost power at the onset of the operation, an effect attributed to the targeted disruption of infrastructure supporting military observation and command systems. The blackout coincided with the opening phase of air operations, reducing visibility and coordination for Venezuelan forces.
At the same time, US Navy electronic warfare aircraft were used to suppress Venezuela’s Russian-made air defense systems. Radar-jamming platforms flooded the electromagnetic spectrum, forcing air defense radars to either shut down or expose themselves. Once active, those radars were targeted by AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, weapons designed to home in on radar emissions and destroy them. ...
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These helicopters, including modified Black Hawks and Chinooks, flew at extremely low altitude, around 100 feet above the water, to avoid radar detection. Terrain-following systems allowed crews to use coastal geography and mountainous terrain for cover as they approached Caracas. When the helicopters came under ground fire near Fuerte Tiuna, onboard countermeasure systems kept the aircraft operational despite damage.
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... As reported by The Guardian, high-temperature cutting torches capable of slicing through reinforced steel doors were involved in the mission to quickly access secured areas, reducing the risk of structural collapse or delays. Within minutes, Maduro and his wife were in custody.
No word if Jim Phelps was part of the operation.
The part about using low-observable//stealth drones is interesting. Venezuela had some of Russia's best SAM systems, S-300 and Buk, and in months of surveilling, the drones seem not to have been detected.
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