US flexes air power in Maduro extraction mission

The extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Saturday showcased U.S. air dominance, deploying stealth fighters to control the skies, jets to jam enemy air defenses, and covert reconnaissance drones and satellites to feed commanders real-time intelligence. The Defense Department, open-source data reviewed by Reuters and industry analysts indicate the U.S. employed a full arsenal of helicopters, fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and drones, in a major coup for U.S. defense companies and a display that China is likely to note. Aircraft included Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, and Northrop Grumman's E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and B-1 bombers, the Pentagon said in a statement that noted more than 150 rotary-wing, fixed-wing, and unmanned aircraft were deployed. Lockheed shares have gained 6.2 percent this week, while Northrop rose 4.4 percent and Textron was up 3.5 percent. SIGNAL TO CHINA The mission signaled to adversaries the United States' ability to execute complex overseas operations at a t