Please stop blowing us up....

Another friendly fire accidental bombing - I know it happens, we've discussed it pretty thoroughly already, but it's still a very bitter pill to swallow, and it seems that nothing has been learned from earlier incidents.

"Shit happens" in every facet of the world - and in a war when shit happens people die. There is no perfect scenario.

The article also stated:

Taliban insurgents in the east and south of the country have stepped up their attacks on Afghan and coalition forces over the last 18 months, seeking to overthrow the Western-backed government installed in 2001 after the ouster of the Taliban.

On Thursday, Afghan forces killed three insurgents, two of whom were Islamic militants from Chechnya, during a one-hour gunbattle in southern Zabul province, said local government head Fazal Bari. He gave no more details.

Meanwhile, U.S.-led coalition troops shot dead a suspected militant and detained 11 other people during a raid in eastern Afghanistan, the coalition said in a statement.

Sorry man. There is no smart ordinance.

*AHEM* We are happy to provide air support, but it's very simple... when you ask for it, you must give us the coordinates of the enemy, not the coordinates where you are.

must be the accent that confused 'em

Well, it's difficult to give co ordinates with a mouthful of hot sweet tea.

Undertoad;377972 wrote:

*AHEM* We are happy to provide air support, but it's very simple... when you ask for it, you must give us the coordinates of the enemy, not the coordinates where you are.

If this is the case, then god help us that procedures are so out of sync. What chance for safety is there if one side gives its own co-ordinates on the basis that this communicates the position that shouldn't be attacked while the other understands this to be the position that should be attacked?

Hopefully there is a more acceptable reason.

Close air support is a bitch. A friend of mine from high school is a jet fighter mechanic currently in Iraq and consequently has a close relationship with the pilots. They tell him time and again that they have a love/hate relationship with close air support calls because the margin of error when dropping bombs or doing strafing runs when friendlies are danger close is basically zero, but they do get the satisfaction that they are seriously saving someone's ass out there. Expecting a perfect record is a pipe dream.

That's why we need to start building Warthogs again. Fighter planes are just too fast and too fragile for real close air support.

xoxoxoBruce;378267 wrote:

That's why we need to start building Warthogs again. Fighter planes are just too fast and too fragile for real close air support.

The absolutely best plane ever built IMHO. I have seen them in action and I promise, you do not want to be on the receiving end of one. They are one of the few airframes that can take a real beating in the air and limp home intact.

Did you know that the warthog's vulcan gun puts out recoil almost exactly equal to one of its engines?

Ibram;378291 wrote:

Did you know that the warthog's vulcan gun puts out recoil almost exactly equal to one of its engines?

I have read that the recoil actually slows airspeed a bit. That must be why.