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6d ago

U.S. Adds F-35s and Special‑Ops Aircraft in Puerto Rico as Caribbean Buildup Pressures Venezuela

Fresh satellite and flight data confirm an expanded U.S. air footprint in Puerto Rico to intensify pressure on Nicolás Maduro.

Imagery released by the Chinese satellite intelligence firm MizarVision shows 22 F-35 fighter jets parked at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico on December 23, 2025.
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Image captured by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellite showing where MC-130Js are parked at the Rafael Hernández International Airport in Puerto Rico on December 22, 2025.

Overview

  • New satellite imagery from MizarVision on December 23 shows roughly 22 F‑35s parked at Puerto Rico’s reactivated Roosevelt Roads facility.
  • Flight-tracking and media reports identified at least 10 CV‑22 Ospreys arriving from Cannon Air Force Base this week, with five MC‑130J Commando II aircraft spotted at Rafael Hernández Airport.
  • Additional assets documented in recent days include HH‑60W helicopters delivered by C‑17s, AC‑130J gunships, C‑130 variants, tankers, and MQ‑9 drones supporting operations across the Caribbean.
  • A U.S. carrier strike group led by USS Gerald R. Ford is operating in the region as Washington conducts interdictions and seizes Venezuelan oil tankers as part of its pressure campaign.
  • SOUTHCOM cites routine rotations and operational security in declining specifics, while President Trump labels the force a “massive armada” and signals potential land operations.