Official photos of US military aircraft returning from the capture of Maduro

Once Operation Absolute Resolution to capture Nicolás Maduro was completed, the official photos began to arrive.

The aircraft used by the United States Armed Forces in the capture of Nicolás Maduro
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Yesterday, the United States Air Force (USAF) released a series of 11 photos showing the return of fighter jets after the conclusion of Operation Absolute Resolve, the name given by the U.S. Armed Forces to the operation to capture dictator Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. These are the first official photos taken by U.S. military personnel that we have seen since this operation.

There are some differences compared to other official photos usually published by dvidshub.net, the multimedia portal of the United States Armed Forces, which typically offers very detailed information about all the images it publishes. In this case, the units of the aircraft seen in the photos are not indicated (only the branch of service to which each aircraft belongs is indicated), nor is the name of the person who took the photos—two differences marked by the nature of this mission. However, some of the photos do offer details about the units participating in the operation.

The USAF indicates that the photos were taken on January 3 in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. In one of the photos, we see the sign for José Aponte de la Torre Airport, which explains the presence of some civilian aircraft. Above, we can see an aviator looking at several USAF F-35A fighter jets upon their return from the intervention in Venezuela.

This photo offers a lot of detail. We see 20 stealth fighters: 10 USAF F-22 Raptors and 10 F-35 Lightning IIs (I think I can make out 7 Marine Corps F-35Bs and 3 USAF F-35As, the latter parked in a line on the right). We also see two USAF HC-130J Combat King II aircraft (on the left, in dark gray), a variant of the C-130J Super Hercules specialized in downed airmen rescue operations and equipped to act as aerial refueling aircraft. The letters FT on their tail fins identify them as aircraft of the 71st Rescue Squadron (71RQS), based at Moody AFB, Georgia.

We also see two Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules tanker aircraft in the photo, painted in light gray. One of them has the letters BH on its tail fin, corresponding to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 (VMGR-252), based at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. The aircraft's serial number, 112, identifies it as 167112 (382-5602). We also see a Gulfstream G450 with the civilian registration N48PL, a private aircraft operated by LDP Aviation LLC from Sarasota, Florida. In the background on the right we see four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters of the Marines, an aircraft model identified by some sources during the January 3rd operation in Venezuela.In the background of the image we see six fighter jets, apparently F/A-18E/F Super Hornets or perhaps their electronic warfare variant, the EA-18G Growler, operated by the Navy.

An F-35A. The letters VT on its tail indicate that it is an aircraft from the 158th Fighter Wing (FW) "Green Mountain Boys" of the Vermont Air National Guard (ANG), a unit based at Burlington ANGB. To the left, we see the terminal building of José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. Behind this F-35A, we see the Gulfstream G450 with civilian registration N48PL from the previous photo.

Two photos of a USAF ground crew member giving a stop order to an F-35A, presumably from the 158th Fighter Wing (FW) of the Vermont Air Force Academy. Behind this F-35A, another F-35 is seen with its weapons bays open.

A USAF F-22 Raptor taxiing on the runway at José Aponte de la Torre Airport, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. In the background to the left, the two HC-130J Combat King IIs of the USAF's 71st Rescue Squadron (71RQS) seen above can be seen.

A USAF F-22 Raptor, specifically AF09-177 (09-4177). The letters FF on its tail identify it as an aircraft from the 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW), based at Langley, Virginia. This aircraft has its port weapons bay open, revealing an AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile. Just behind this F-22 is an F-35, almost completely obscured, and to the right we see another F-35 taxiing. To the left is another F-22 from the 1 FW. In the background, we see the two Marine Corps KC-130Js mentioned earlier.

A Marine Corps F-35B. The aircraft bears no insignia or text identifying its unit, but its serial number 113 corresponds to a fighter from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 (VMFA-122), based at MCAS Yuma, Arizona. Behind this F-35B, in the background, we see one of the F-35As of the 158th Fighter Wing (FW) "Green Mountain Boys" of the Vermont Air Force.

Another USAF F-22 Raptor, this one from the 94th Fighter Squadron (94 FS), a unit attached to the 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) at Langley. We can also see its open port weapons bay, displaying an AIM-9X missile. In the background, we see one of the Marines' KC-130Js, the 112 mentioned earlier, and one of the USAF's HC-130J Combat King IIs.

The photo at the top of this article: an F-35 taxiing on the runway at José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. To its left, we see two USAF HC-130J Combat King IIs and two F-22 Raptors from the 1st Flight Wing. To the right, we see four F-35s parked.