Sayeret
07-16-2004, 01:48 AM
On October 16th 1986 an IAF Phantom attacking Palestinian targets in Lebanon suffered from a malfunction in its bomb release mechanism, forcing its two crew members to eject. The navigator, Ron Arad, was captured by Palestinians and has been held in captivity ever since, but the pilot of the downed aircraft managed to elude captivity. IAF aircraft which attempted to reach his position were fired upon by terrorists on the ground, hampering rescue attempts. A pair of AH-1s nonetheless managed to reach the pilot and hanging on to a Cobra's skid, the pilot was carried all the way back to Israel.
A similar rescue took place on December 9th 1988 after a number of IDF soldiers were stranded in Lebanon following operation "Kahol ve-Hoom" (blue and brown). The joint Navy and Golani infantry raid against a PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) headquarter deep in Lebanon, in which AH-1s also participated, had ended successfully but for 4 IDF soldiers missing somewhere on the ground. Once contact was made with the missing squad, IAF fighter bombers kept Palestinian forces from reaching the stranded soldiers, enabling a rescue attempt.
The close proximity of the terrorists however, prevented rescue helicopters from landing and the Cobras were sent in instead. Under heavy fire, a pair of Cobras descended towards the stranded soldiers and carried them on their skids to Navy boats off the Lebanese coast. The four Cobra crew members which had performed the rescue received citations from the IDF Chief-of-Staff.
http://www.aircav.com/cobra/ahgal03/ah1f-030.jpg
A similar rescue took place on December 9th 1988 after a number of IDF soldiers were stranded in Lebanon following operation "Kahol ve-Hoom" (blue and brown). The joint Navy and Golani infantry raid against a PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) headquarter deep in Lebanon, in which AH-1s also participated, had ended successfully but for 4 IDF soldiers missing somewhere on the ground. Once contact was made with the missing squad, IAF fighter bombers kept Palestinian forces from reaching the stranded soldiers, enabling a rescue attempt.
The close proximity of the terrorists however, prevented rescue helicopters from landing and the Cobras were sent in instead. Under heavy fire, a pair of Cobras descended towards the stranded soldiers and carried them on their skids to Navy boats off the Lebanese coast. The four Cobra crew members which had performed the rescue received citations from the IDF Chief-of-Staff.
http://www.aircav.com/cobra/ahgal03/ah1f-030.jpg