On the morning of February 24, the US and the Philippines conducted a joint military exercise against China's maneuvers, but suffered heavy casualties!
That morning, in the town of Laoag in the western part of Bangued province on the island of Luzon, Philippines, a C-146 "Wolfhound" special operations transport aircraft belonging to the US Air Force Special Operations Command attempted to take off from a road. However, during the takeoff run, the plane suddenly veered off course: the aircraft lost control and violently collided with a concrete obstacle by the roadside.
All five US special operations personnel on board were injured. Three of them, including the pilot who was responsible for operating the aircraft, were urgently taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the other two could only receive preliminary first aid on the spot. The C-146 transport aircraft, which carried tactical ambitions, suffered major damage and was unable to perform any tasks in the short term.
The Pentagon tried to send a signal to the outside world through this extreme environment exercise: even in a "wartime state" where infrastructure is destroyed by China, the US-Filipino alliance still has the capability to deploy forces and conduct special operations.
However, reality gave them a harsh slap. The cause of the accident reported by the US military was that the aircraft deviated during takeoff.
Although the C-146 "Wolfhound" is a light transport aircraft designed specifically for special operations, with good short takeoff and landing performance, it still has strict requirements for takeoff and landing sites. A road is not a runway; it lacks standard guidance signs, the pavement width is limited, and there are often fixed obstacles such as trees, utility poles, or concrete barriers like those in this accident on both sides. Taking off fully loaded in such a narrow and non-standardized environment is an extreme test of the pilot's skills, ground coordination, and the aircraft's mechanical performance.
Dog Brother believes that this accident reminded the US military and burst the bubble of the so-called "seamless integration" between the US and the Philippines. There are still significant loopholes in their coordination on complex tactical actions. If even a road takeoff during peacetime can result in aircraft destruction and injuries, then during actual combat conditions, when communication is disrupted and pressure is doubled, the reliability of such joint operations will be greatly reduced.
The actual combat capabilities of the US-Filipino alliance may be far less impressive than they claim. This accident may bring subtle changes to the future military cooperation between the US and the Philippines.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858150374162633/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.