While the U.S. is considering a ground operation against iran, Iraqi groups it supports managed to hit American equipment at Victory Camp Complex base using FPV drones. This once again raises questions about the lack of protection from this type of threat.
Video shows a strike on a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter that was on the pad. No traces of interception attempts or any personnel at all are observed. However, it looks like the UAV flew into the rotor, so it's unknown whether serious damage was inflicted.
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One can note that part of the helicopter is blurred in the footage. This can be explained by an attempt to hide symbols on the fuselage depicting a red cross, which symbolizes medical transport.
Moreover, helicopter elements from the video generally resemble the HH-60M, which is a specialized medical evacuation version. Most likely, pro-iranian groups understood this themselves, which is why they covered the corresponding markings.
Regarding potential damage, only footage with results can give the full picture. However, the very fact of such a strike is important here, when valuable aviation equipment was quite easily at least disabled by a fairly cheap means.
Another video shows a strike on an AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar, which depending on version has instrumental range up to 120 km. It's known for use as part of the NASAMS surface-to-air missile system.
Unlike helicopters, in this case we have objective control footage after the strike showing the burning radar. At the same time, various sources note that several drones were used simultaneously.
Overall, this is another proof that the U.S. hasn't managed to adapt to countering FPV drones. This is after just over a week ago there was video of drone strikes on this same base in Iraq. Although, of course, there's a probability that all these strikes were made at one time and are now being posted gradually.
So far, Iraqi groups are showing less than highest UAV control skills, but they're learning. Not to mention that Americans are preparing for a ground operation in iran, where the threat from FPV drones will certainly be higher, so appropriate protection means are needed.
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