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Armed Venezuelan F-16 Fighter Jets Buzz US Warship in “Show of Force” After US Military Blows Up Tren De Aragua Trafficking Vessel
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com ^ | Sep. 4, 2025 | Cristina Laila

Posted on 09/04/2025 7:13:43 PM PDT by bitt

Armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets buzzed a US Warship in a “show of force” on Thursday after the US military blew up a Tren de Aragua drug trafficking vessel.

CBS News reported:

Two armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over the USS Jason Dunham on Thursday, according to multiple Defense Department officials who described the action as a “show of force.”

The Dunham, an Aegis guided-missile destroyer, is among a flotilla of U.S. warships dispatched to the region in recent weeks that the Pentagon says have been deployed to target criminal organizations and narco-terrorism.

CBS News was unable to determine what actions the USS Jason Dunham took, if any, in response to the flyover.

Scoop: Two-armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over a US warship today–a show of force, @JimLaPorta and @charliecbs report. The USS Jason Dunham is among a flotilla of U.S. ships dispatched to target criminal organizations and narco-terrorism. @CBSNews https://t.co/w6Bp14z1if

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 4, 2025

President Trump on Tuesday said of the strike against a Tren de Aragua drug trafficking boat from Venezuela, “while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States.”

Trump recently designated foreign drug cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, MS-13, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations with an executive order on his first day in office.

(Excerpt) Read more at thegatewaypundit.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016clintonvoter; 2020bidenvoter; 2024harrisvoter; 2026concerntroll; 2026cowardlykaren; 2026demswipedup; 2026rino; 2026wipeout; captainpainttard; captainpainttroll; illegalstrikes; multiplenicks; narcoterrorism; nevertrumpkywrdtroll; nomoarwars; nomorecowardlykarens; nomorekarens; nothanks; randpaulsucks; uswarship; venezuela; venezuelanf16
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1 posted on 09/04/2025 7:13:43 PM PDT by bitt
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To: null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; bgill; bitt; ...

p


2 posted on 09/04/2025 7:13:56 PM PDT by bitt (<IMG SRC=' 'WIDTH=500>)
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To: bitt

When did we give the cartels F-16s?


3 posted on 09/04/2025 7:15:52 PM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again," )
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To: bitt

Shoot

Them

Down


4 posted on 09/04/2025 7:15:53 PM PDT by Paladin2 (YMMV)
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To: bitt

Which proves the government is in cahoots with the drug gangs.


5 posted on 09/04/2025 7:17:09 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: bitt

The drug mobs have their own air force. Wow.


6 posted on 09/04/2025 7:17:54 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: fella

You said what I was thinking but in a more nuanced way.


7 posted on 09/04/2025 7:18:16 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: fella

When did we give the cartels F-16s?


Probably another gift from the Grifter in Chief, Briben.


8 posted on 09/04/2025 7:18:49 PM PDT by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: Paladin2

Exactly.


9 posted on 09/04/2025 7:19:05 PM PDT by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: bitt

CBS news couldn’t determine when the coffee cart comes to the office each morning ... but I can guess what the USS Dunham was doing.

Tracking every move of those F-16s and ready to pull the trigger and splash them within a split second of getting the command to.


10 posted on 09/04/2025 7:19:46 PM PDT by TigersEye (The Golden Age of MAGA is upon us!)
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To: bitt

A friggin’ disgrace!


11 posted on 09/04/2025 7:21:28 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: bitt

Dems probably told them to do that in response to trump offing their voters


12 posted on 09/04/2025 7:25:03 PM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
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To: fella

These must be the F-16s that Reagan sold them.


13 posted on 09/04/2025 7:25:17 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: bitt

I’d bet we illuminated them to show you’re dead if we want it.


14 posted on 09/04/2025 7:26:15 PM PDT by McGruff
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To: ansel12

They probably haven’t been serviced much since Chavez took over twenty years ago, like the ancient Iranian F14s.


15 posted on 09/04/2025 7:27:38 PM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: fella

(When did we give the cartels F-16s?)

That’s what I’d like to know. We sure didn’t give Venezuela F-16’s when Chavez was president.


16 posted on 09/04/2025 7:28:29 PM PDT by Macho MAGA Man
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To: Jane Long

this happens occasionally with other countries, who I’m told are always in communication with the fleet, ships commanders. it is understood that activating weapons systems and aggressive radars mean splash bogeys and oblitwrating bogey’s home field,etc.

See Turkey, Iran, Russia, Libya (ouch), others.

interested in opinions and experiences that contradict what my informants tell me.


17 posted on 09/04/2025 7:29:02 PM PDT by epluribus_2 (!)
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To: bitt

More balls than brains….


18 posted on 09/04/2025 7:29:11 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: bitt

They got that first pass for free. Don’t do it again.


19 posted on 09/04/2025 7:29:18 PM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: ansel12

I’ve been checking. Your Right!

[3 pages leftSign InSubscribe
GlobalSecurity.org

Home :: Military :: World :: Venezuela :: Air Force :: Equipment :: Modernization ::
Military

Venezuela F-16 Peace Delta
The Carter administration’s 1977 Presidential Directive 13 (PD-13) blocked the sale of advanced military technology in Latin America. In those 20 years, the US limited its aircraft sales in the region to lower-technology fighters such as the A-4 Skyhawk, the Northrop F-5 in several variants, and the A-37 Dragonfly. The only exception to this policy was the 1982 sale of F-16s to Venezuela by the Reagan administration. The self-imposed US embargo did not limit, nor influence, the entry of advanced fighters into the region. Over the two decades, the French sold over two hundred fighters in South America.

freestar
In 1980, the Venezuelan air force performed a thorough study before requesting the F-16 aircraft from the United States. In the course of their study they evaluated, in addition to the F-16, the French Mirage MIR-50, The Israeli KFIR C-2, the British Tornado and the Northrop F-20. Based on each aircraft’s performance parameters, available systems and other descriptions, a four step approach was used in the evaluation process. First of all, each aircraft was evaluated on its combat mission effectiveness in both the air-to-air and air-to-ground roles.

freestar
Second, based on equal effectiveness, a determination of the size of the combat force required was performed. Third, a cost evaluation was performed based on initial unit procurement costs and unit operations and support costs. Finally, aircraft were ranked on relative total cost and equal combat effectiveness. Based on their study, the FAV selected the F-16, which they believed to be the aircraft which would take them through the 1990’s to counter any possible national threats.

In April 1981, headquarters Air Force Logistics Command was informed of the Republic of Venezuela’s interest in purchasing the F-16 aircraft. On 5 August 1981, the International Logistics Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, was tasked with the responsibility of providing price and availability data involving a 24 aircraft program for a possible FMS sale to Venezuela.

freestar
In July 1981, President Reagan gave his approval for the F-16A/B sale to Venezuela. At this time the FAV requested an LOA for 24 aircraft, 18 F-16A’s and 6 F-16B’s, from the Department of Defense. On 5 February 1982, the Senate met to formally approve the Peace Delta sale

In May 1982, the government of Venezuela signed an agreement to buy 24 Block 15 F-16 aircraft. This purchase was under the Peace Delta Foreign Military Sales program. The first aircraft was accepted for the Venezuelan Air Force in September 1983. The first six aircraft (three F-16As and three F-16Bs) were delivered in-country on 16 November 1983. Subsequent deliveries of 18 aircraft (15 F-16As and 3 F-16Bs) were completed in 1985 with the final delivery of six aircraft in November 1985.]


20 posted on 09/04/2025 7:29:21 PM PDT by Macho MAGA Man
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