Posted on 04/11/2002 3:44:43 PM PDT by blam
Weapons found as marines fly into Afghanistan
By Kim Sengupta
12 April 2002
An arsenal including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, rockets, grenades and fuses has been discovered by international peacekeepers and Afghan police as the main body of British Royal Marines arrives in the country.
More than 150 Chinese-made rockets were seized from a building on the road from Kabul to Bagram air base, where the British forces have established their headquarters. The 107 millimetre rockets were of the same type used against the forces of the British-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the capital.
In another raid, on a house in Kabul, two American-made Stingers were found. A man was shot dead and two others arrested by Afghan security forces during the operation, and, in a separate raid five men were arrested for carrying out the rocket attack on the ISAF barracks.
ISAF and Afghan sources said they believed the weapons were being stored for attacks in the near future. It was not known who the intended targets were, said the sources, but there was concern about the discovery of the rockets on the road to the Bagram air base.
Hundreds of Islamist fighters, supporters of the former premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, were rounded up last week over an alleged coup plot against the interim government of Hamid Karzai.
Around 500 Royal Marines, who will go into combat and are known as "shooters", have arrived in Bagram in the last 48 hours. The force of 1,700, will be ready for operations by 15 April, and is expected to be deployed to the north and east of the country from their Bagram base.
Britain also has 1,500 troops attached to ISAF, stationed in Kabul. Yesterday, Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, told the Commons that Britain will remain in command of the force until June, rather than the end of April as was planned.
I knew redeyes had to have constant maintenance.
Believe it or not, a missile's shelf life is probably classified information.
Read your posting page highlight ... It says: "Loose lips sink ships."
I was just thinking that a Missle that had been in the inventory for about 14 years, might not work correctly.
Was just looking for a ball park figure.
Might go boom on launch, making it more dangerous for the operator than any aircraft.
But it sure would be amusing as heck to (a) demented FReepers like your truly and (b) anyone who has relatives who uttered these last words: "Hold mah beer and WATCH THIS!"
You want that with the launch code warhead unlock or without?
It varies with the loanee.
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