In 2005, the U.S. Marines, and other NATO members, launched what they called a MiG-23 Bandit, in Egypt. It was built as a target drone for man-portable Stinger anti-aircraft missile training.
According to the info that came with these pics, five MiG-23 Bandits were launched, and all five were shot down during Exercise Bright Star.
According to the information that was issued with these pics, the MiG-23 Bandits were actually made and operated by a U.S. military contractor; Advanced Composite Manufacturing. There are several companies and ‘research’ organizations that use the words Advanced Composite Manufacturing in their names. There is also a company calling itself ACM/Advanced Composite Manufacturing. None of them have any info about the MiG-23 Bandit.
Video, MiG-23 Bandit launch & shoot-down:
The U.S. Army calls it the BAT (Ballistic Aerial Target).
In August 1999, the U.S. Army used a MiG-23 BAT to demonstrate its vehicle mounted Stinger missile system, known as Avenger, on Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, in North Carolina.
This photo is dated March 1986. It shows a MiG-23/27 ‘BAT/Bandit’ drone along with two Mi-24 Hind drones, on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
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