Posted on 06/10/2014 4:49:20 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
Five U.S. soldiers were killed in a possible friendly fire incident in southern Afghanistan on Monday, Defense Department officials say.
A senior U.S. defense official told Fox News early Tuesday that the troops were killed when they requested air support from a B-1 bomber after coming in contact with enemy forces.
Earlier Tuesday, a statement from NATO confirmed the soldiers' deaths, but did not give further details on their nationalities. Coalition policy is for home countries to identify their military dead.
"The casualties occurred during a security operation when their unit came into contact with enemy forces," the statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force read. "Tragically, there is the possibility that fratricide may have been involved. The incident is under investigation. Our thoughts are with the families of those killed during this difficult time."
If confirmed, it would be one of the most serious cases involving coalition on coalition friendly fire during the nearly 14-year Afghan war. One of the worst came in April 2002 when four Canadian soldiers were killed when an American F-16 dropped a bomb on them near a night firing exercise in the southern Kandahar.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I didn’t realize B-1 bombers dispatched from continental US were used for close support??
I didn’t see this on Drudge or FR. Seems like a big story to me. I happened on it on the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel site and searched it and found it on several others sites. Don’t people care what is happening there?
It was reported on Fox and Friends a short while ago.
Yes, it is on Drudge and everywhere else. It’s only a few hours old.
Not sure what can be done about ‘friendly fire’ tragedies.
Bergdahl’s unit? Silencing the remainder of eye witnesses to his desertion?
I looked at Drudge early this morning and didn’t see it. Haven’t been back. Fox just reported it. I guess it is getting out now.
What a horrible story. So sad.
More Blue Force Tracking is required for every frindly to prevent these tragedies.
Blue Force Tracking 2
https://www.viasat.com/government-communications/blue-force-tracking
Blue Force Tracking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDdZGiy8Luw&list=UUScm2m51dUiXte0s9mljl3g&index=2&feature=plcp
Either their embedded TACP screwed the pooch on the coordinates, or the guidance package on the smart bomb(s) malfunctioned.
Errors of not including the offset from friendly forces seem to be a real problem, with the AC getting the friendly forces coordinates instead of the coordinates of the real target.
/johnny
Need more FACs. One per company or Bn ain't cuttin' it.
...or both.
Prayers up for these brave fighting men and their families.
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