Posted on 10/15/2009 11:50:57 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
British Harrier pilot diverted bomb mid-flight to save civilians
A British Harrier pilot managed to abort a bomb attack in mid-flight, steering a smart bomb away from its intended Taleban target after a group of civilians strayed into the target area, footage released by the Ministry of Defence showed today.
The footage, which was shot from the camera on the jet last year but has been only now declassified, shows that the bomb had already been launched when its target, a Taleban commander in a vehicle, stopped next to a group of civilians.
The RAF pilot then made the snap decision to abort the strike and successfully steered the Paveway IV bomb, which can be controlled by the pilot in flight, into a safe area of desert. “In this instance I found and tracked the target and had deployed my weapon,” said the pilot, who asked not to be named. “However, as it was flying to the target I saw the vehicle stop amongst civilians.
“Every pilot dreads the prospect of inadvertently causing harm to any innocent civilian, so I knew I had to act immediately.
“The Paveway IV smart bomb is amazingly accurate and incredibly flexible. I can control it whilst it is still in flight, so I used my onboard laser to guide the bomb into a safe area of open desert.
“It’s a shame I couldn’t prosecute the target as we had planned, but it was much better to let him go free this time than risk killing innocent civilians.”
The pilot said that British forces continued to track the Taleban commander and killed him two days later.
The Paveway IV was first used by British forces in Afghanistan last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
A Harrier GR9 from IV Squadron, RAF Cottesmore is pictured during a sortie over Afghanistan. Paveway IV laser guided bombs can be seen on the outermost pylon underneath the wings
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220230/Pilots-skill-saves-innocent-Afghan-villagers-air-strike.html#ixzz0U22hZkOL
This is why we are better than the enemy.
He got cocky after they missed him the first time.
This sounds a lot like an attack countermeasure undertaken specifically because of the well known & extravagantly screwed up R.O.E.
My prediction is that we see A LOT MORE of this.
Can we see *that* video?
Yes. Much more satisfying than wasting money blowing up the desert.
When an armed force deliberately intermingles with civilians for protection it is they, not the attacker, who is held responsible for civilian casualties.
I’m sure that the pilot feels pretty good about this. What surprises me is the British MoD making a big fuss over it.
Yep.
ping
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
If the Civilians are talking to the Taleban then they are the Taleban.
As far as I am concerned the “civilians” know who is Taliban. If they do not want to be collateral damage they had best tell the Taliban to get lost. The fact that everyone knows we won’t bomb civilians while going after the Taliban means the two can comingle with impunity.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.