Apache Not Shot Down -- Had Mechanical Problems

Fox News - Radio Report | 3/24/03 | Bret Beier

[vbmoneyspender]

Bret Beier on Fox News is reporting that the Apache seen on Iraqi tv was not shot down but had mechanical problems -- which jibes with the condition of the Apache as seen on TV. Beier is also reporting that 3rd Infantry is engaging the al Medina division of the Republican Guard at Karbala. Beier said this is the first major engagement of the war

[smith288]

So the pilots get out of there in some weeds or whaT?

[Post Toasties]

Demmitall - why can't they make reliable helicopters for military use?

[madison46]

Nobody reports on fail/succes/ or details of the effect of the mission OTHER than we were driven off. Which I guess is the case. Fox has stunk on this story 30-40 Apache's and 30 surface to surface missles and no story from them. Guess it was 'minor' story /sarcasm

[Arkinsaw]

Demmitall - why can't they make reliable helicopters for military use?

We have lots of helicopters and there is lots of sand blowing around. To have only one suffer a mechanical breakdown during combat in such bad conditions is really not that bad.

[madison46]

From reports, all helicopters sustained damage and all but one got the boys home. Not too bad.

[vbmoneyspender]

A CNN reporter quoted an American commander on the scene as saying that approximately 70 Iraqi tanks were destroyed during the mission.

[Route66]

So did we go back and blow the thing up before they carted off our equipment and ordinance? I can find nowhere where anyone has said what happened to it after the Iraqis did their dance around it.

[tomahawk]

We need to lay down some MLRS and cluster munitions on the Iraqis before sending in the choppers, in my opinion. Or B-52 strike. Clear the decks.

[Bryan24]

That's between a 1/3 and 1/2 of the division. In one helicopter attack.

[tomahawk]

Artillery rules the battlefield. I hope we're making good use of it.

[Blueflag]

re: "Artillery rules ..."

Depends on the desired mission outomce. We're still going for 'surrender' as an outcome. Right now we're only trying to "break their stuff" it would seem. Apaches with Hellfires are guided munitions platforms. Artillery gets everything.

My opinion? Look for artillery tomorrow, along with Arc Light flights

[KriegerGeist]

"I can find nowhere where anyone has said what happened to it after the Iraqis did their dance around it."

Be nice if a hellfire missile came sailing in while they were doing the dance. Ah, if only Spooky or Spectre had been there...they would be carrying off parts of our helicopter..embedded in them.

[rockinonritalin]

After much hype, didn't we pretty much wipe out the heralded Republican Guard in Gulf War I? Its hard to imagine that they've gotten any better while we have improved our capabilities significantly.

[tomahawk]

No, they mostly were left intact.

[dnandell]

God Bless our Tank crews!

They will sustain casualties. However, our 3rd Infantry tankers will go through the Iraqis like Panzers through a goose.

[jwalsh07]

Good news, they are either in contact with the crew or they have already been extracted.

[jwalsh07]

So did we go back and blow the thing up before they carted off our equipment and ordinance?

I know that's SOP but why? If we can't fly it, they sure the hell can't and they can't fire the ordinance from the ground. Leave it there, maybe we can pick it up on the way through.

[dnandell]

I was thinking the same thing. Leave it there until we get there tonight. Why waste a helicopter.

Those dune "you know whats" won't know what to do with it. If it's not a 1960's Soviet helicopter they won't know how to fly it.

[Plutarch]

We have lots of helicopters and there is lots of sand blowing around.

That explains how those Iraqi farmers brought it down. Their agricultural activity (e.g. plowing) stirred up dust and sand which caused the mechancial failure.

Those Iraqi's are using their ploughs as swords!!!