War is not a game – nor is it usually fought by retirees, especially those who have been in retirement for more than 30 years. These particular retirees, however, are not people – they’re aircraft.
Two OV–10 Broncos, came out of ‘retirement’ to support the Special Forces in Iraq. The planes were previously used in the Vietnam War and had proved to be “a flying and fighting do-all sport utility vehicle. It could loiter for hours, direct fire onto the enemy, pack paratroopers and cargo, or attack with its own weapons. Many think it was retired right when it could have become most useful and that it would have been the perfect light air support aircraft for Afghanistan.” (Tyler Rogoway)
The two Broncos that have just been on missions in Iraq and Syria, are thought to have come from NASA, which had originally snapped up the retired planes in order to carry out airborne tests, or perhaps from the State Department, which had sent Broncos to Columbia in a bid to crackdown on drug trafficking.
This time the sturdy, turbo-prop planes completed 120 combat missions and were said to have been acting as cover for the soldiers fighting ISIS terrorists on the ground somewhere in the area of the Middle East. US Central Command would not confirm where they were based, nor the targets they attacked, but did say that they were involved in Operation Inherent Resolve, against the extremists in Syria and Iraq.
More:
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/iraq-vietnam-war_plane.html
