U.S. Military Base Penetrated By Somali Militants

Military Watch | Dash-8 Spy Plane and C-146 Transport Destroyed

The Somali militant group Al Shabab launched a successful attack on a U.S. military base in Kenya, the Manda Bay Airfield, on January 5th. The attack follows longstanding tensions between the group and American forces in the region, and amid at time when the U.S. is expanding its military presence in East Africa. A spokesman for U.S. Africa Command stayed regarding the attack: “U.S. Africa Command acknowledges there was an attack at Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya and is monitoring the situation.” The attack was eventually repelled with four militants killed, but they succeeded in neutralising multiple American aircraft on the ground including a C-146A Wolfhound tactical transport and a Dash-8 spy plane. The Dash-8 is equipped with synthetic aperture radar capable detecting ground targets across an area nearly two miles wide, depending on its fight altitude, and also deploys a sensor turret with electro-optical and infrared cameras. Al Shabab claimed it had inflicted heavy casualties on U.S. and Kenyan forces, but this has yet to be confirmed. Al Shabab has been designated a terrorist organisation by a number of Western states, including, Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Britain, as well was by the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.