Conflict catalog

2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict: Weapons and Equipment

U.S. strikes, special operations, air-defense suppression, drone-use reporting, and maritime follow-on activity around Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela.

The 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict centers on Operation Absolute Resolve, a January 3, 2026 U.S. raid and strike operation in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores while U.S. aircraft, cyber effects, special operations forces, and law-enforcement personnel operated around Caracas and other Venezuelan military sites. Public reporting ties the equipment record to the operation itself, follow-on maritime pressure, Venezuelan air-defense losses, and caveated open-source accounts of drones and special-operations aircraft.

This catalog tracks systems directly sourced to the 2026 U.S.-Venezuela military confrontation, especially Operation Absolute Resolve and documented follow-on pressure around Venezuelan-linked targets.

Entries emphasize systems tied to air operations, air-defense suppression, drones, special-operations support, electronic warfare, and maritime interdiction, with caveats where public sources do not fully identify variants or exact mission roles.

9 weapon systems

Conflict Actors

United States / Venezuela

Venezuela

1 weapon system in this catalog
  • Venezuela

Context

Status
Published catalog
Location
Northern Venezuela, Caracas, the Caribbean approaches, and regional operating bases
Countries
Venezuela, United States
Regions
Caracas, Fuerte Tiuna, La Guaira, Higuerote, Maiquetia, Caribbean Sea, Puerto Rico
Domains
air, air defense, UAV, electronic warfare, special operations, missile strikes, maritime, cyber

Operation Absolute Resolve left the strongest public equipment record around air, air-defense, electronic-warfare, drone, special-operations aviation, and maritime-interdiction systems. Aircraft packages, air-defense suppression, commercial satellite imagery, and post-operation aircraft imagery support the clearest system links. Named-system claims still depend on entry-level caveats: some platforms are officially documented or photographed, while others rely on defense reporting, acoustic/video analysis, or source claims that do not always identify the exact variant.

Map

Northern Venezuela, Caracas, the Caribbean approaches, and regional operating bases

Open map

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Timeline

Key Events

  1. U.S. carrier strike group enters the Caribbean

    USNI News reported that USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation Southern Spear, a major pre-raid expansion of U.S. military posture around Venezuela.

    Sources: USNI News Ford Enters Caribbean, Breaking Defense Operation Absolute Resolve Overview

  2. Operation Absolute Resolve launched

    U.S. officials said more than 150 aircraft and drones launched from land and sea bases, with space, cyber, intelligence, air, and special-operations components supporting the capture mission and strikes against Venezuelan air defenses.

    Sources: DefenseScoop Operation Absolute Resolve Details, Department of War Cabinet Meeting Story

  3. Air and special-operations package reaches Caracas

    Public reporting from the official briefing said U.S. helicopters arrived at Maduro's compound around 2:01 a.m. Caracas time while tactical aircraft, drones, cyber effects, and intelligence feeds supported the force and the withdrawal.

    Sources: DefenseScoop Operation Absolute Resolve Details

  4. Satellite imagery frames strike damage

    CSIS analysis of commercial imagery described targeted damage at Venezuelan military and air-defense locations, including likely air-defense targets around Higuerote and the operation's route into and out of Caracas.

    Sources: CSIS Imagery from Venezuela

  5. Drone-use evidence assessed

    The War Zone assessed video and acoustic evidence from Venezuela as consistent with one-way attack drone use, while noting that U.S. officials had not publicly identified the specific drone models used.

    Sources: Did The U.S. Use Kamikaze Drones To Strike Venezuela?

  6. Security Council reviews the operation

    A United Nations Security Council emergency meeting focused on the raid, with Venezuela and several states describing it as an unlawful armed attack while the United States characterized Maduro's capture as a law-enforcement operation.

    Sources: Just Security UNSC Reactions

  7. Stealth-drone participation reported

    The War Zone reported that Lockheed Martin had confirmed RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones took part in Operation Absolute Resolve, while the exact role of the aircraft remained undisclosed.

    Sources: RQ-170 Sentinel Supported Maduro Capture Mission

Phases

Nov 1, 2025 - Jan 2, 2026

Caribbean pressure and pre-raid posture

A U.S. regional buildup, maritime pressure, and intelligence preparation shaped the months before the January 2026 operation.

Jan 3, 2026 - Jan 3, 2026

January 3 strike and capture operation

Operation Absolute Resolve combined air-defense suppression, cyber and space support, special-operations aviation, tactical aircraft, drones, and law-enforcement custody of Maduro and Flores.

Jan 4, 2026 - present

Aftermath, evidence review, and regional pressure

Post-operation reporting has centered on satellite imagery, aircraft-return imagery, open-source weapon identification, international legal reactions, and continued U.S. pressure around Venezuelan-linked maritime activity.

External Support

The operation was a unilateral U.S. military and law-enforcement action, with public reporting emphasizing U.S. aircraft, drones, ships, intelligence agencies, cyber and space support, and special-operations aviation rather than a coalition order of battle. Security Council coverage records sharply divided international responses: U.S. representatives framed the operation as a law-enforcement action against an indicted fugitive, while Venezuela and several other states characterized it as an unlawful attack on Venezuelan sovereignty.

Images

U.S. Air Force crew chief guiding an F-35A after Operation Absolute Resolve
A U.S. Air Force crew chief guides an F-35A Lightning II in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, after actions in Venezuela supporting Operation Absolute Resolve.Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson / U.S. Air Force | Public domain U.S. Air Force photographSource: Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson / U.S. Air Force

Weapons

2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict Weapon Systems

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

7/7
One-way attack UAV, Expendable strike UAV / loitering munition class, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsOne-way attack UAVExpendable strike UAV / loitering munition classSide: United StatesRole: Probable precision strike and air-defense suppression during Operation Absolute ResolveBuilt: Various state and non-state manufacturers / VariousOne-way attack UAVs are expendable unmanned aircraft built or adapted to carry an explosive payload to a target and be consumed in the attack. This class-level entry covers cases where sources document one-way attack drones, kamikaze drones, or disposable explosive UAVs in conflict but do not identify a single named model suitable for a more specific catalog record.
F-22 Raptor, Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-22 RaptorFifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighterSide: United StatesRole: Escort and air-defense suppression supportBuilt: Lockheed Martin / Boeing / United StatesThe F-22 Raptor is a U.S. fifth-generation stealth air-dominance fighter built around low-observable shaping, supercruise, thrust-vectoring F119 engines, integrated avionics, and internal weapons carriage. Designed first for air-to-air control, it also carries JDAM and small-diameter bomb loads for precision strike, with U.S. Air Force sources documenting combat use over Syria and Iraq during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve and CENTCOM material identifying F-22s in the 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strike package against Iran.
AC-130 gunship, Heavily armed fixed-wing gunship, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAC-130 gunshipHeavily armed fixed-wing gunshipSide: United StatesRole: Maritime interdiction deploymentBuilt: Lockheed Martin / United StatesThe AC-130 gunship is a side-firing C-130 derivative built for persistent close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, and special-operations overwatch. Modern AC-130U, AC-130W, and AC-130J aircraft pair trainable cannon armament with electro-optical/infrared sensors, fire-control systems, communications suites, and standoff precision munitions so crews can support ground forces from extended loiter or overwatch positions.
M/AH-6M Little Bird, Light special operations helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsM/AH-6M Little BirdLight special operations helicopterSide: United StatesRole: Special operations close air support and insertion supportBuilt: MD Helicopters / Boeing / United StatesThe M/AH-6M Little Bird family pairs a compact special operations helicopter with armed and troop-carrying mission fits: AH-6M aircraft provide close air support with guns, rockets, and missiles, while MH-6M aircraft move small assault teams into confined landing zones. U.S. Army history documents AH/MH-6 Little Birds in Somalia and AH-6 support at Hadithah Dam in Iraq; later open-source reporting tied M/AH-6Ms to a caveated 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict support role.
B-1B Lancer, Long-range, multi-role supersonic bomber, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsB-1B LancerLong-range, multi-role supersonic bomberSide: United StatesRole: Airpower support for raid and strikesBuilt: Rockwell International / United StatesThe B-1B Lancer is the U.S. Air Force's long-range, supersonic conventional bomber, built to deliver large payloads of guided and unguided weapons against distant, heavily defended targets. Recent open-source reporting ties the aircraft to 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve strikes, Afghan Taliban-target attacks, a U.S. show-of-force flight near Venezuela, and 2026 strikes deep inside Iran during the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict.
LUCAS, One-way attack UAV / loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsLUCASOne-way attack UAV / loitering munitionSide: United StatesRole: Loitering munition strikesBuilt: SpektreWorks / United StatesLUCAS, the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, is a U.S. one-way attack UAV associated with SpektreWorks' FLM 136 airframe and fielded through CENTCOM's Task Force Scorpion Strike. The system emphasizes affordable mass, autonomous operation, multiple launch methods, and long-range strike utility, and CENTCOM said it was used in combat during Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator, Special operations gunship helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsMH-60L Direct Action PenetratorSpecial operations gunship helicopterSide: United StatesRole: Special operations gunship and close air supportBuilt: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation / United StatesThe MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator is a 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment gunship conversion of the UH-60L/MH-60 Black Hawk, trading troop-carrying capacity for modular cannons, rockets, guided missiles, sensors, and night-raid support. Venezuela conflict reporting documents DAP Black Hawks in U.S. special operations use, while also noting that current operational DAPs are MH-60M airframes derived from the same mission configuration.

Category

Air Defense

Systems that contest aircraft, missiles, helicopters, and drones.

1/1
Buk-M2, Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseAir DefenseBuk-M2Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile systemSide: VenezuelaRole: Strategic-site air defense targetBuilt: Almaz-Antey / RussiaThe Buk-M2 is a Russian tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system in the Buk family, using 9M317-family missiles and networked radar vehicles to defend maneuver forces and fixed sites against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, precision weapons, and some ballistic targets. Conflict records tie Buk-M2/Buk-M2E systems to Russian battlefield air defense in Ukraine, Syrian government air-defense engagements, the April 2018 Syria strike response, and Venezuelan air-defense losses during the 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict.

Category

Electronic Warfare

Systems built to sense, relay, jam, deceive, or attack electromagnetic networks.

1/1
EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic WarfareElectronic WarfareEA-18G GrowlerCarrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraftSide: United StatesRole: Carrier-based electronic attack and air-defense suppressionBuilt: Boeing / United StatesThe EA-18G Growler is a Boeing-built electronic attack derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, fielded to jam, detect, and attack hostile radars, communications, and air-defense networks while retaining missile carriage for suppression missions. U.S. Navy and Australian Growlers provide carrier or land-based electronic warfare support, with early combat deployment in Iraq and Libya in 2010-2011 and later documented use in 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, Red Sea operations against Houthi forces, and the U.S.-Iran strike context.

Conflict Sources

Open-source coverage of Operation Absolute Resolve is uneven and politically contested. Official U.S. releases support confirmed U.S. framing and images, defense reporting supports operational details, CSIS supports satellite-imagery interpretation, and legal or diplomatic coverage supports reactions. Weapon entries remain the authority for whether a named platform is confirmed, reported, or caveated by model or variant.

  • USNI News Ford Enters CaribbeanPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports the Nov. 16, 2025 USS Gerald R. Ford entry into the Caribbean Sea during Operation Southern Spear, which provides pre-raid force-posture context for the conflict catalog. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • DefenseScoop Operation Absolute Resolve DetailsPublisher: DefenseScoop | Note: Supports the Jan. 3 operation overview, aircraft and drone scale, cyber and space support, air-defense suppression, helicopter timeline, custody of Maduro and Flores, and uncertainty about damage and casualties. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Department of War Cabinet Meeting StoryPublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: Official U.S. source supporting Operation Absolute Resolve date, capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, and U.S. characterization of the raid. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Breaking Defense Operation Absolute Resolve OverviewPublisher: Breaking Defense | Note: Supports the pre-raid Caribbean buildup and general U.S. briefing context around aircraft, cyber effects, and operational preparation. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • CSIS Imagery from VenezuelaPublisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies | Note: Supports satellite-imagery context for strike damage, air-defense targets, likely ingress and egress patterns, and post-operation uncertainty around further U.S. pressure. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Did The U.S. Use Kamikaze Drones To Strike Venezuela?Publisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports the conflict context and caveated reporting around one-way attack drone use during U.S. strikes in Venezuela. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • RQ-170 Sentinel Supported Maduro Capture MissionPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports caveated RQ-170 participation context and open-source limits around the stealth drone's exact Operation Absolute Resolve role. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • U.S. makes combat debut of kamikaze-style dronesPublisher: Defence Blog | Note: Supports Operation Absolute Resolve context and reporting on U.S. one-way attack drone employment in Caracas. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Guiding Light Air Force PhotoPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Public-domain image provenance and official caption for an F-35A after a large-scale strike against Venezuelan military targets in support of Operation Absolute Resolve. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • DVIDS Venezuela Aircraft Return ImagePublisher: DVIDS | Note: Public-domain image and caption support for U.S. aircraft returning to Ceiba, Puerto Rico, after actions in Venezuela during Operation Absolute Resolve. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Just Security UNSC ReactionsPublisher: Just Security | Note: Supports the international-reaction and source-caveat context by summarizing the Jan. 5 United Nations Security Council emergency meeting and competing legal characterizations of the operation. | Accessed: 2026-07-03
  • Eight Military Takeaways from the Maduro RaidPublisher: Modern War Institute | Note: Supports equipment-focused interpretation of Operation Absolute Resolve as an air-ground littoral and multi-domain military operation, with caveats that the article is analysis rather than an official account. | Accessed: 2026-07-03