Operation Absolute Resolve: 150+ U.S. aircraft and 160th SOAR Night Stalkers supported Delta Force helicopter raid on Maduro

Operation Absolute Resolve was a high‑risk U.S. special‑operations mission in Venezuela that marshalled over 150 aircraft — fighters, bombers, helicopters and drones — and employed the 160th SOAR Night Stalkers to insert Delta Force troops by helicopter after months of preparation; an RQ‑170 stealth drone supported strikes.

Discovered 2026-01-03T12:14:56.487893-08:00 | 2026-01-03T12:14:56.487893-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The operation showcased integrated airpower at scale: reports say 150+ aircraft (fighters, bombers, helicopters, ISR and strike drones) were coordinated for a precision capture mission — see recent U.S. use of AC‑130J Ghostrider and MQ‑9 Reaper in the theatre (https://hype.aero/?story=c3cc5619-1217-46a1-805d-59102babb7ad).

  • Special‑operations aviation (the 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers") enabled covert rotary insertion of Delta Force after months of planning; earlier coverage documented special‑operations helicopters operating within 90 miles of Venezuela (https://hype.aero/?story=a96ed84d-5d40-46d7-bf07-0765ca3e480e).

  • The mission increases regional air‑tension and operational risk amid recent Venezuelan combat flights and U.S. air activity near Venezuela, underscoring volatile airspace management and escalation dynamics (https://hype.aero/?story=3247f887-5905-456e-8327-714b6d7c01db; https://hype.aero/?story=04b9504f-b2d2-41af-9bb2-5df21d7bbee4).

Reported By

Reuters wonderfulengineering.com Flying Magazine news.defcros.com satnews defensemirror.com
Sources Tracked
17
First Seen
2026-01-03T12:14:56.487893-08:00
Latest Update
2026-01-07T11:12:48.075842-08:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

Hype groups these reports into one evolving story so you can compare coverage without losing the thread.

Related Coverage