New Tactics for U.S. Helicopters in Iraq - Officials

[spinbaby]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. military helicopter pilots in Iraq (news - web sites) have begun changing flight patterns and using other evasive tactics to reduce the chances of being shot down by missiles and other weapons fired by guerrillas, defense officials said on Friday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=2&u=/nm/20031107/ts_nm/iraq_helicopter_tactics_dc_3

[Robb]

1. Quick! Close the barn door!

All the horses are gone!! :eyes:

I'm no military genius, but shouldn't they have been doing that already?

[ender]

6. they probably fell into a pattern...

patterns are extremely easy to see if all you have is time to observe them.

it is incredibly difficult to do things in non-predictable manners. especially in the military where everything is specified, down to the consistency of chocolate cake.

[DK666]

9. Why in the name of god.

Was an H-46 flying without an escort in a hot area ?

[DS1]

2. evasive action! wow! f*cking brilliant man!

/sarcasm so thick you could cut through it with George Bush's wit.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. Not sure there's much they can do.

Choppers are vulnerable period.

[Ripley]

4. Is that from the Onion?

That sounds like they just realized THEY'RE IN A WAR!!!!

[DK666]

5. Why didnt

Someone just tell em to duck ? These are RPG's for god sake.

[Don_G]

7. Might Have A Better Survival Rate

By dropping our "elected" officals on the enemy.

<scarasm off>

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. You mean, maybe we should zig-zag a little?

Incredible.

[teryang]

10. Helos are sitting ducks

...period. We're lucky they don't have anything more advanced than SA-7 and RPGs. More advanced shoulder fired weapons would take a heavier toll.

[saigon68]

11. JUST WAIT THEY ARE COMING

Iraq-Nam is about to get serious.

[fishnfla]

13. They waited until now right?

I mean, have they been firing at the copters all along, or did they hold back and let us get complacent, only to start now with the sa-7 and RGP's?

was this strategy or what?

[teryang]

14. There is an element of strategy to it

...you present little or no air threat and let the operational patterns develop. Part of this is of necessity, keeping the head down so to speak. Where are the helos based what flight paths and approaches do the crews favor? Over a period of time, the airborne assets settle in a routine while the guerillas make their observations and take notes. I've been waiting for a field helo base with exposed fueling stores or trucks to take a mortar attack. Perhaps the Army is ahead of me on this, and has this taken care of.

Obviously the Iraqi guerillas don't have the resources to really obstruct air operations substantially. This is a political act of a sensational kind to take out two aircraft in such a short period. In a way it represented a major effort for a enemy limited in capability and resources. Their greatest asset and advantage is their ability to collect operational info on American units who stick out like a sore thumb. Generally on the ground their presence is telegraphed ahead of time by a unfriendly population. American forces on the other hand have great difficulty in ascertaining exactly what the enemy is up to.

Helos don't necessarily telegraph their destinations or missions because of their relative mobility and speed. They don't give much reaction time unless you know they're coming. Thus one lays back waits for the patterns to develop. Unlike the Vietnamese, the guerillas cannot mass anti air weapons in key "choke points" for air missions and take out aircraft just by filling the air with projectiles (not even aimed fire.) This could develop later if things deteriorate or if American forces are reduced too much.

[bpilgrim]

12. see they 'fixed' it

rumsfield admits no one could have imagined folks actually SHOOTING at OUR guys but claims EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED...


more...
http://bbs.globalfreepress.com/coppermine

peace

[moondust]

15. Chinooks do great barrel rolls.

:smoke:

[RamboLiberal]

16. Iraqis must be getting some inside intelligence

Note another chopper flying with the downed chopper was carrying a General.

We know they knocked one down same day Wolfie was flying in one, then missed his hotel room by only a floor.

I think the Iraqis have the better intelligence at the moment.

[Sideways]

18. Real Simple Reason MOST IRAQIS SPEAK ENGLISH!

How many members of the coalition forces speak Arabic? It only takes a few well placed innocuous Iraqis standing about to pick up what I'm sure is some juicy intelligence, even if it is idle gossip by troops. Remember LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS.

This is the hubris of the American forces, they don't understand how well educated many Iraqis are. (I don't think the British have this problem, hence Basra hasn't been the bloodbath the North has become.)

I live here in the Middle East and I can't believe the number of people who can converse with me in fluent articulate English. Even country folks!

[truthisfreedom]

17. umm... they seem to last a lot longer and keep a lot more people alive on

the ground. just a thought.