ok, now which is it??? i've read several articles saying they were laser guided... now they say gps.
Posted on 06/10/2006 9:04:45 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Air Force Space Command delivered space combat effects for the precision strike that resulted in the death of terrorist leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
A Global Positioning System-aided GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition was one of the two munitions used in the bombing of Zarqawi's last safe house.
"Once again, GPS-aided munitions played a significant role in the success of an important operation," said Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, Director of Air and Space Operations, AFSPC. "When you're after an elusive, high-value target, you've got to make every shot count."
General Alston, who recently returned from Iraq as the Multinational Force-Iraq Director of Communications, said, "Air Force Space Command has been enhancing combat effectiveness for more than a generation. Now in the Global War On Terror, we're depending on space more than ever. GPS provides the precision timing and navigation absolutely instrumental in both protecting our troops on the ground and taking out the bad guys."
There are several mission planning steps that go into this type of operation.
The general explained that a rapidly changing battlespace demands agile forces that can deliver lethal effects before an enemy can move, and GPS is essential to success in this challenging environment.
"This is just typical of AFSPC's mission. We provide communications, navigation and timing, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and missile warning. Our mission is 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week providing space effects to the warfighter," said Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Taverney.
"This is a huge success for the coalition and a great example of air and space powers' ability to deliver precision warfare effects in a complex environment," said General Taverney.
Marine Recon
"Everybody's stepping up for credit on this one"
So far, every story I've read is about the men or women that push buttons to drop bombs.
What I find interesting in a kill like this, is the steely eyed, knife carrying, hunter killers, those are the guys I find fascinating, not what kind of bomb did a plane drop.
ok, now which is it??? i've read several articles saying they were laser guided... now they say gps.
I was born 6 months after the 1st moon landing and I still remember the Omega watch ads trumpeting that their watch was worn by Neil Armstrong on the 1st moon mission. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/omega.html
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