In 1988, two Night Stalkers MH-47 Chinooks flew almost 500 miles at night to retrieve the Mil Mi-24 without being detected
Operation Mount Hope III was a highly classified U.S. military mission to recover a crashed Soviet-built Mil Mi-25 “Hind-D” attack helicopter, an export version of the Mi-24. The aircraft had gone down and been left behind during the Libya-Chad conflict. In 1988, two U.S. MH-47 Chinooks from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), also known as the Night Stalkers, flew nearly 500 miles (800 km) at night to the crash site and recovered the helicopter without being detected. The operation took place entirely in Chad and was authorized by the Chadian government.
In April 1987, as they withdrew, fully armed Libyan Air Force Mi-25 helicopter was seized by French and Chadian troops after the crew abandoned it. The Hind was then stored at Ouadi Doum. The U.S. Department of State negotiated with the Government of Chad for permission to recover the aircraft, though the Chadians did not offer assistance. Training took place at White Sands Missile Range, and the mission began on June 10, 1988. A C-5 Galaxy arrived at N’Djamena International Airport carrying two MH-47s in its cargo hold and 75 troops. French forces also supported the operation, contributing a troop contingent and several Mirage F.1s. The Chinooks were unloaded, and the troops flew toward Ouadi Doum, where the Hind was still parked. Evading Libyan detection, the crew recovered the helicopter and began the return flight to N’Djamena, aided by two C-130 Hercules transports at two FARP points—one in Faya-Largeau and one in Moussoro.
Despite the sandstorms, the Chinooks made it to the FARPs and made the return trip to N’Djamena with the Hind. The Mi-25 Hind was then loaded onto one C-5, while the Chinooks were loaded onto another, and all were transported back to the United States.
Photo by U.S. Army
