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Unmanned Predator Kills Three Terrorists; Relative Turns in Suspect
American Forces Press Services ^ | March 29, 2006

Posted on 03/29/2006 3:28:05 PM PST by Cecily

An MQ-1B Predator unmanned aerial vehicle engaged three insurgents in the process of planting a homemade bomb along a road near Balad Air Base, Iraq, yesterday evening and launched an AGM-114 Hellfire missile against the group. The Predator monitored the three terrorists for about a half hour while they used a pick ax to dig a hole in the road, placed an explosive round in the hole, and strung wires from the hole to a ditch on the side of the road. When it was clear the individuals were placing a bomb, the Predator launched the 100-pound Hellfire missile, killing all three insurgents.

"This is a prime example of how airpower is supporting the fight on the ground," Air Force Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad, said. "We're able to provide a persistent view of the battlefield to commanders on the ground and, if called upon, put a weapon on a target within minutes."

Using joint Army and Air Force trend analysis and past incident reporting from the area, the Predator was assigned to monitor the general location where the insurgents were ultimately found. "Based on the information we had available, we had a pretty good idea there might be some activity in the area, and we were right," Gorenc said. "This strike should send a message to our enemies that we're watching you, and we will take action against you any time, day or night, if you continue to stand in the way of progress in Iraq."

(Excerpt) Read more at defenselink.mil ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; predator
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I hope the word gets out to the terrorists.
1 posted on 03/29/2006 3:28:05 PM PST by Cecily
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To: Cecily; Dog

From a base in Nevada, the U.S. is flying over 1,000 UAVs each day in Iraq...something that will no doubt continue after we've left there.

2 posted on 03/29/2006 3:29:58 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Cecily

I love a happy ending.


3 posted on 03/29/2006 3:32:14 PM PST by popdonnelly
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To: Cecily

WOOT!!!! They are finally realizing just how bad for the country terrorists are!!!!


4 posted on 03/29/2006 3:33:21 PM PST by SouthernBoyupNorth ("For my wings are made of Tungsten, my flesh of glass and steel..........")
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To: Cecily

5 posted on 03/29/2006 3:44:53 PM PST by Doogle (USAF ...7th AF...408MMS..Ubon ,Thailand..."69"..Night Line Delivery ..AMMO!!)
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To: Southack

I'd call this the future of air warfare, but since it is already happening, I'd be a little late.


6 posted on 03/29/2006 3:48:06 PM PST by Rokke
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To: Southack
From a base in Nevada, the U.S. is flying over 1,000 UAVs each day in Iraq...something that will no doubt continue after we've left there.

Holy mackarel!
They got 1000 pilots sitting in a big hangar somewhere in Nevada?

7 posted on 03/29/2006 3:49:54 PM PST by Publius6961 (Multiculturalism is the white flag of a dying country)
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To: Cecily

Excellent news.


8 posted on 03/29/2006 3:50:30 PM PST by blam
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To: Cecily
The Predator monitored the three terrorists for about a half hour while they used a pick ax to dig a hole in the road,

Heh heh heh. Kind of like "dig your own grave and then die". He he he.

9 posted on 03/29/2006 3:51:53 PM PST by taxesareforever (Never forget Matt Maupin)
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To: Cecily

I LOVE good news! :-)


10 posted on 03/29/2006 3:53:51 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Cecily

I love the end result,but, in a half an hour couldn't they have gotten some troops there to do the same thing and save a million on missile costs?


11 posted on 03/29/2006 3:55:00 PM PST by builder (I don't want a piece of someone else's pie)
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To: Cecily

Excellent... I wish we could see the video...


12 posted on 03/29/2006 3:55:27 PM PST by tje
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To: builder

Hellfires are cheap. Much, much less than a million dollars. And we killed the badguys without risking the life of a single American...whose lives are priceless. Sounds to me like we got a bargain.


13 posted on 03/29/2006 3:56:55 PM PST by Rokke
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To: builder

I like the missile option better, especially if the word gets out to the bad guys. No chance to run and hide from soldiers or engage them in a fight; you just get nailed by a big bomb.


14 posted on 03/29/2006 4:01:06 PM PST by Cecily
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To: Rokke

Sounds good to me, I have no idea what a Hellfire costs. Some guys were high fiving while watching the computer screen for sure.


15 posted on 03/29/2006 4:02:11 PM PST by builder (I don't want a piece of someone else's pie)
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To: Rokke

Hellfires are $100K a copy. About what an up-armored HMMWV costs.


16 posted on 03/29/2006 4:04:26 PM PST by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: Cecily
The Predator monitored the three terrorists for about a half hour while they used a pick ax to dig a hole in the road, placed an explosive round in the hole, and strung wires from the hole to a ditch on the side of the road.

Letting them waste their last moments on earth digging a hole is a nice touch.

17 posted on 03/29/2006 4:05:07 PM PST by aculeus (Pinch Sulzberger is the Inspector Clouseau of newspaper publishing.)
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To: Cecily

I hate to do this, but this is only two posts down the list:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1605722/posts


18 posted on 03/29/2006 4:06:36 PM PST by dynachrome ("Where am I? Where am I going? Why am I in a handbasket?")
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To: Yo-Yo

Thanks for the info.


19 posted on 03/29/2006 4:07:47 PM PST by builder (I don't want a piece of someone else's pie)
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To: builder

A Hellfire costs anywhere from $25,000 to $75,000 depending on the variant. It must be frustrating to be a terrorist. Not even a hint anyone knows you're there until...BOOM. A small, laser guided missile tears you to pieces. The Israelis use them with similar effects when they are hunting terrorist leadership.


20 posted on 03/29/2006 4:08:14 PM PST by Rokke
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