Then why during the heat of battle would the man stop, take the time to activate the unit and laz a target when there is nothing in the air to take out that target?
Then why during the heat of battle would the man stop, take the time to activate the unit and laz a target when there is nothing in the air to take out that target?
“Then why during the heat of battle would the man stop, take the time to activate the unit and laz a target when there is nothing in the air to take out that target? “
Because it only takes a moment with some types of equipment. As in a couple of seconds.
I don’t know what sort of equipment they had on hand. Four years ago, I know the USAF aircraft had equipment that would do it all in a second. Hit the button, release the button, and you now have coordinates that give support folks a better chance of helping you. But I don’t know how much of that technology was on hand.
My point was that the use of the laser did not PROVE assets were available.
When working CAS with a TACP years ago, we did pull estimated coordinates and provide them with our air requests, time permitting. During a 7 hour engagement, the guy may have thought, “You don’t think we know enough to give you support? Well, HERE it is, all on a silver platter...”
Fact is, these former career SEALs were not rookies at this. They know better than us that we’re not fighting neandertals or bushmen. That “invisible” IR laser is only invisible if you are fighting aborigines or feral pigs.
In a smart-phone world, the IR Laser is a visible as a bright visible green or red laser. You turn it on to help the fire support make the shot, or you don’t turn it on, since you are painting a bright green line right back to your pos.
In fact, expert Taliban mortarmen in A-stan are getting first shot kills on allied positions using locations acquired by digital cameras and smart phones, never mind NODs. LAD discipline is now a key concern, due to it being a two-way light anymore. Nobody would know this better than the SEALs.
One tidbit I read today said that two AC-130 gunships were DEPLOYED TO IRAQ last year. Were they already “in country” on 9-11? Be a good question for a reporter if any cared.
But assuming they were not, was the Pred armed? Do we fly around Libya with bare bomb racks? Really? Why would that be, when Obama is the biggest “targeted killer” in US presidential history?
So was there a Spectre above? Or an armed Predator? Or another platform that had already crossed the int’l air space and were overhead?
No way would former career SEALs be flashing around an “invisible” IR laser just to store up grid locations for future reference. A mortar crew firing is a “right now” problem. “Invisible” IR lasers, what a joke in Benghazi, home of more Iraq and A-stan jihadists than any other town in Islam!
Anybody who thinks the SEALs would just be waving “invisible” IR lasers around to get locations for future ref (if they were still alive!) is clueless.
They would not risk putting on a light aimed straight back at their position unless it was to drop ord on the bad guys RIGHT NOW. Not a second longer than needed. Unless they were begging the guys with trigger authority to go hot.
In which case, just damn.
