Remembering SGT Brian Buker MOH From Vietnam KIA April 5, 1970

It was 47 years ago, today that US Army Special Forces SGT Brian Buker would lose his life in a battle for a Viet Cong mountain stronghold at Nui Khet. For his actions in the three-day battle, Buker would posthumously be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Buker was killed by a combination of rocket […]

Russian Yak-130 Appears to be Training Aircraft Choice for Vietnam

The Vietnam People’s Air Force (VPAF) is shopping for a new training jet and it appears they are going to purchase the Russian Yak-130. The Yak-130 first flew in 1996 and has been marketed as a light attack aircraft. There have been over 100 of the twin engine, tandem seat jets built at an estimated cost […]

LAW of the land

The United States emerged from World War II with the Bazooka as its primary anti-armor and anti-structure weapon.  Proven as a true war winner, the series, requiring a firer and a loader, started with the M1, upgraded through the  M9 and ended with the M20B1 ‘Super’ during Korea. The Bazooka’s basic design never changed, and […]

The birth of the gunship: When Puff ruled the night

Using side-firing weapons on aircraft can be traced back to 1927, when a concept was demonstrated by fixing a .30 caliber machine gun to the side of a biplane and flying a simple maneuver known as a pylon turn. Named after the air racing term, it involved positioning an aircraft in a gentle bank and […]

Watch: SEAL Team One in Vietnam

Recently coming across this vintage film of Navy SEALs in Vietnam, I thought I would share it with everyone on SOFREP.  The national archives describes it as: This film shows Navy SEALs in action in the jungles of Long Phu, Vietnam. SEALs are seen as they marched single file and crouched down in tall brush while […]

Air Force F-16 SEAD Mission. Do You Know What it is? Wild Weasel!

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, in addition to being a premier air-to-air combat platform also performs a very important mission called SEAD or Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. Also known as “Wild Weasel” the mission is to enter enemy airspace early and disrupt or destroy their air defenses. This allows the main strike package of aircraft […]

Replaced? Security Force Assistance Brigades vs. Special Forces

The U.S. Army recently announced it would be standing up six security force assistance brigades (SFABs), designed to provide the Army with units specifically trained to work as military advisors. As part of their training pipeline, these advisors will likely receive cultural and language training to facilitate working with their partner forces. They will have […]

News Roundup Special: RIP Lt. General Hal Moore

Lieutenant General Hal Moore- Hero of the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam, Paratrooper, and warrior- has died at the age of 94. Born in Kentucky on February 13, 1922, Moore dreamed of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. Believing his chances of acceptance would be increased in the big city, he moved […]