Everyone seems to like to target ISIS with warplanes these days, even countries that don’t exactly have air forces. Lebanon, having fought ISIS over control of the border town of Arsal earlier this month, is keen to get some such planes from the US.
The US promised shipments of “munitions and ordinance” for Lebanon’s Air Force, but the LAF is also pushing for a deal to acquire some US-made warplanes along with them.
Lebanon’s air force is mostly an historical, not an active, force. The entire roster of “active” warplanes consists of three Cessna 208 planes modified to fire Hellfire missiles and four 60-year-old British-made fighter-bombers, which were literally museum pieces at one point.
Using Cessnas to fire Hellfire missiles is increasingly common, as Iraq does the same thing in their fight with ISIS. In both cases, the US seems to be rushing as many missiles into the area as possible for use.
