Posted on 01/10/2008 4:15:28 PM PST by SandRat
/10/2008 - FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq (AFPN) -- More than 40 targets were hit after precision air strikes destroyed reported al-Qaida safe havens Jan. 10 in Arab Jabour, Iraq.
The precision air strikes supported Operation Phantom Phoenix, the overarching operation that includes Operation Marne Thunderbolt.
Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds.
A joint operation between the Air Force and Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division required extensive planning to prevent collateral damage and to deny the use of the area for attacks into Baghdad and against coalition forces.
Two B-1B Lancers and four F-16 Fighting Falcons directed bombs at three large target areas. Each bomber made two passes and the F-16s followed to complete the set.
Coordination between the Army and Air Force was essential in making the operation a success.
Operation Marne Thunderbolt is an ongoing operation aimed at flushing out remaining al-Qaida extremists operating in the southern Arab Jabour area, and to create conditions for improved security.
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division will join Iraqi security forces and concerned local citizens to continue these offensive operations to keep pressure on the enemy.
Another one for the good guys.
Another one for the good guys.
The BOOM BOOM was lowered!
I am glad we are doing this in the din of election season - no pix pls.
Did they get the SOB?
More than 40 targets! Excellent!
Assuming they were all valid targets, intelligence must be darn good.
“Marne” as in the WWI battle?
Yep! 3ID is known as the “Rock of the Marne” or “The Audie Murphy Division.” The first is the official Army Nickname from WWI the second is the unofficial frm WWII.
Candidates who wish to win better start responding and building on this and other similar news.
Suspect so. The 3rd Infantry Divisions nickname is "Rock of the Marne". They are also called the Blue & White Devils,... my old uncle took a tour of France, Germany, and Austria with them during WWII.
Woooo hoooo! That’ll work!
They must be geting some pretty good intelligence to have an operation of this size. Go waterboarding.
I speculate that we snagged one of a very few al Qaeda computers in Iraq with details of their most important locations.
"Nous Restons-La!"
“Each bomber made two passes and the F-16s followed to complete the set. “
LOL - Air Force Badminton.
Wow! Forty targets destroyed by 6 aircraft. That's assuming all four F-16s had anything to drop on, after the Bones did their thing.
Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds.
And 1,000 pound bombs to boot. The scarry thing is that a single Bone/Lancer could almost have done the job. They can carry 24 JDAMS. The Two B-1Bs could have done the job themselves, and I suspect the Electric Jets were just for mop up and misses, or targets whose bomb didn't quite do the job, ie, for immediate restrike.
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