The gray S-92 helicopter as seen in Kobani, Syria, in 2017. Click to see full-size image.
A shadowy Sikorsky S-92 Helibus reported to be owned by a United States-based company and involved in military and intelligence operations was spotted flying between Israel and Syria on September 11 and 12.
In both cases, the helicopter was filmed by activists from the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa who said it came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights then departed in the direction of Damascus. The helicopter reportedly flew at relatively low altitude over the highway linking Daraa with the capital.
The War Zone investigated similar S-92 helicopters in the past. A similar helicopter first appeared in Malta in 2012, while the U.S. was heavily involved in the Libyan conflict. The helicopter was painted in a blue and white scheme and carried the number N992SK.
An S-92 was then spotted without the number in Erbil, the capital of the northern Iraqi semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, in 2015. One the same year, similar helicopters were spotted in Djibouti, where a U.S. base is located.
After that, similar helicopters appeared painted in gray. In 2017, a clear photo of one such S-92 from a U.S. base near the town of Kobani in the northern Syrian governorate of Aleppo appeared online. The photo revealed that the helicopter was equipped with a missile warning system, flare dispensers and other military features, like forward sliding windows and a rescue hoist.
What appears to be the same helicopter was spotted again flying along an V-22 Ospreys aircraft of the U.S. military over the governorate of Raaqa, also located in northern Syria, in 2020.
According to TWZ, the grey helicopter is ultimately owned by PHI Aviation, LLC. The Louisiana-based company provides service for the oil and gas industry, aeromedical services, pilot training and aircraft maintenance. It owns 39 S-92, although the others have a more traditional commercial configuration and are typically painted in yellow and black.
The U.S. military operates thousands of helicopters with different capabilities. Thus, it makes no sense for it to contract a helicopter from a private company.
It is more likely that the helicopter has been operating under contract with some intelligence agency, like the CIA, or even for private military contractors.
Syria’s new Islamist-led interim government has been engaged in talks with Israel for months now, although previous meetings between the two sides took place in the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and France. The shadowy helicopter may have been ferrying security officials between the two countries for secret talks. The U.S. has been heavily involved in facilitating this process.
Another possibility is that the helicopter was transporting U.S. officials or even intelligence officers between Israel and Syria.
On September 12, the new commander of the U.S. Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper made a surprise visit to Damascus, along with Washington’s envoy Tom Barrack. The two and other senior officials met with Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa. The S-92 may have carried intelligence officers or private military contractors who were tasked with securing the senior delegation.
Click to see full-size image. (Syrian Arab News Agency)
In any case, the presence of shadowy S-92 over southern Syria is a sign of growing U.S. influence in the country, and its direct flights from Israeli-occupied territories indicate a progress in talks between the two countries.
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meetings to enact war plans to sieze control of the regions energy assets are years long in the works. syrian air space is now controlled the israel and nato war cult. shipping, communication and supply and re-supply are coordinated to move soldiers in unison.
disguising planned deceptions is first. media control is the biggest issue to these pirates. stunt after stunt after stunt. so predictable !
dystopia now has such control that nothing the any middle east nation says can be trusted. unless information comes from yemen, iran or actual documentation the real time human suffering of the helpless.
some new sources predict an israeli attack in turkey. claiming to destroy so called hamas assets. who could not have possibly left the gaza prison siege unless invited and orchestrated by israel . sorry if i add confusion to the well controlled fog of war. patience friends !