3rd Infantry Seizes 3 Bridges in Fiercest Fighting So Far

The New York Times ^ | March 26, 2003 | STEVEN LEE MYERS

[tomahawk]

Time to arm the Chechen rebels.

[topher]

Officers here believe the missile may be a new Russian variant, known as a Cornet, purchased despite United Nations sanctions on arms sales to Iraq.

This needs to have greater publicity -- Russia violating UN weapons sanctions with Iraq -- blood for oil.

[RicocheT]

Was the tank that was hit an M1A1? Is this Kornet missile able to defeat its armor? If so, ouch!

[TADSLOS]

One soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division, a loader on a tank, was killed on Monday. Also two tanks and one Bradley fighting vehicle with the division's 3rd Regiment, 7th Cavalry Squadron were destroyed by anti-armored missiles. Officers here believe the missile may be a new Russian variant, known as a Cornet, purchased despite United Nations sanctions on arms sales to Iraq.

Russian arms dealing during sanctions bought by funds from the oil for food program, no doubt.

[Plutarch]

Is it just me, or are others also sick and tired of the adjective "fierce" being used over and over to describe all skirmishes, battles, fighting, and even sandstorms?

[jdege]

The fight around Najaf — which lasted more than 36 hours — has considerably slowed the division's march northwards,

We fight them where they are, not where we expected to be.

As the saying goes, "don't fight the plan, fight the enemy."

[mad puppy]

Your post would certain help explain why the Russians don't want the US going to war with Iraq....we're going to be able to prove that they've been selling banned weapons. Now the only other questions are: what else did they sell? who else has been selling stuff (F'n France, of course)? how many have been sold?

Just what til the UN finds out, why, they may pass a resolution...oh my.

[crazykatz]

How do you spell FANATIC? "Iraqi saddam loyalist militia"

[ThinkDifferent]

Don't bring a truck to a tank fight.

[demlosers]

...One soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division, a loader on a tank, was killed on Monday.

According to the Pentagon Briefing thats going on now, NO US personnel were killed in this engagement. NYT reporter got it wrong.

[Lil'freeper]

Sortof ouch. Tanks have their vulnerabilites, even ours- some areas have more armor, some less, tracks have next to none.

[Tin-Legions]

Don't mean to insult you, but just so you know, modern tanks use armours that are composites, but are equal to so many inches of solid rolled steel like the tanks in WWII. For example, the M1A1 Rhinemettal 120mm gun can plow shot through the front turret (the most highly armoured spot) of almost any Russian built tank, with the round passing out the back of the turret. In DS 1 that same damage was done even after the shot passed through several feet of sand berms.

For everyone else out there-the claims that 2 M1A1 tanks were destroyed are generally false-they were just knocked out of action. How do I know? No crew members were killed, a catastrophic hit on a tank would kill most of the 4 person crew. I suspect these tanks will be recovered and may even reenter the conflict depending on the closeness of the DS/GS level repair shops. take care---

[madison46]

ditto...arm the them. A few Javilins would be in order

[demlosers]

Is it just me, or are others also sick and tired of the adjective "fierce" being used over and over to describe all skirmishes, battles, fighting, and even sandstorms?

Iraqis getting their 'asses kicked' is a better description.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The first time Turkey had rejected US troops there we should have immediately diverted the ships to Kuwait. As it is the 4th will be unloading in about a week.

[daviddennis]

Aren't the Chechens Osama's pals?

The enemy of your enemy is not always your friend!

D

[dc-zoo]

"A tank drove simply over one of the vehicles without firing a shot"

Mmmmmmmm...Iraqi pancakes... >>or stuffed french toast? hehehe

[The Old Hoosier]

Look out--that Iraqi column we've been hearing about is coming to relieve the fedayeen in Najaf...I hope we're ready.

[L,TOWM]

Oh, I understand the difference between Chobham/composite armor and simple steel plate. That does'nt really apply on comparing the penetration rates between shells relying on kinetic penetration (120 mm DS1 firing FSSDPU rounds) vs chemical penetration (missile/main gun HEAT warheads).

For the later, a claim of 43 inch steel plate WITH reactive armor reinforcement(!) penetration rate seems to be outside the realm of credibility for a missile HEAT warhead. (Not that it would'nt WARM on the inside of the 43 inches ;-) )

Can't talk any more...Bomb Threat in our Building (Downtown LA). Gotta Run!!!

[colorado tanker]

One soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division, a loader on a tank, was killed on Monday. Also two tanks and one Bradley fighting vehicle with the division's 3rd Regiment, 7th Cavalry Squadron were destroyed by anti-armored missiles. Officers here believe the missile may be a new Russian variant, known as a Cornet, purchased despite United Nations sanctions on arms sales to Iraq.

I was wondering how the Iraqis could knock out an M-1 with an RPG. They're using the Kornet anti-tank missile, which came on-line after Gulf War I. This is REALLY starting to p!ss me off!

KORNET E ANTI-ARMOUR MISSILE, RUSSIA

Kornet E is the name given to the export version of the Russian Kornet missile system. The system, first shown in 1994, has been developed by the KBP Instrument Design Making Bureau, Tula, Russia and is in production and service with the Russian Army and has been sold to the Syrian Army.

Kornet is a third generation system, developed to replace the Fagot and Konkurs missile systems in the Russian Army. It is designed to destroy tanks, including those fitted with explosive reactive armour (ERA), fortifications, entrenched troops as well as small-scale targets. The system can be fitted to a variety of tracked and wheeled vehicles, including the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle, as well as serving as a standalone, portable system. The self-propelled Kornet missile system is manufactured by the Volsk Mechanical Plant, Volsk, Russian Federation.

MISSILE

The launcher fires Kornet missiles with tandem shaped charge HEAT warheads to defeat tanks fitted with ERA or with high explosive/incendiary (thermobaric effect) warheads, for use against bunkers, fortifications and fire emplacements. Armour penetration for the HEAT warhead is stated to be 1200 mm. Range is 5 km.