Posted on 10/05/2014 9:42:51 AM PDT by GonzoII
WASHINGTON — The U.S. has begun using Apache AH-64 attack helicopters to strike at ISIS targets inside Iraq, the first time the aircraft have been used for offensive strikes since arriving in Baghdad in early July.
Their use opens up a new capability in the airstrike campaign against ISIS in Iraq, but one that also comes with risks, as they could be vulnerable to ground fire.
A defense official confirms that Apache helicopters were used this weekend as part of four airstrikes on a large ISIS force northeast of Fallujah. The attack was conducted in coordination with Air Force fighter aircraft that supported the operation.
A press release by U.S. Central Command said the air strikes near Fallujah “struck two mortar teams, a large ISIL [ISIS] unit and two small ISIL units.”
The official confirmed that the strikes were the first use of the Apache helicopters that were deployed to Iraq in early July.
Several Apache helicopters were included in an additional deployment of several hundred U.S. military personnel sent to Baghdad o reinforce security at U.S. embassy facilities and access to the Baghdad Airport.
The deployment of the attack helicopters was intended to be defensive nature, but their offensive capabilities are now being used against ISIS. Any restrictions on their use for offensive purposes were presumably lifted in early September when President Obama announced that offensive air strikes could be used against ISIS targets.
Apache helicopters can be used to provide close air support for ground troops, but can also fire Hellfire missiles at enemy targets from several miles away. The use of long-distance sensors and missiles lessens the potential exposure to small arms fire the helicopters could face in a ground combat situation. The aircraft are still vulnerable to small arms...
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Operation “Save the Democrats.”
Why, heck yeah-—If there ever was an appropriate defense machine it would be an APACHE ATTACK helicopter GUNSHIP. Yeah. They can defend the heck out of those ISISES. To paraphrase the old 101 airborne trooper when he got into St Lo: they can liberate the hell out of Iraq.
Source?
Not to worry, if they start to make major impacts, or get too aggressive, obama will put a stop to it.
It’s all about the show donchano!
You got that right! They should ALL have Cyanide capsules. If not, and I were a pilot; if anything happened, I'd pull whatever firearms I had(probably an M4 carbine and an M9 sidearm), and take as many of them as I could until I got to the last round, which I'd put into the side of my head. I would NOT want to give them the pleasure and propaganda material. I'm sure God would understand....
All true, but helo crash landings often result in stunned/injured/unconscious air crews.
Black Hawk Down.
That’s true!
Such a thing wouldn’t be unprecedented. I understand that we gave Cyanide capsules to the guys in our early space programs. Just in case they might miss the Moon, and go off into the Solar System to a certain death.
Of course, we were a different country back then. Now, the lawyers and bureaucrats within the Pentagon/.gov wouldn’t authorize such a thing.
Drones gather ISR. And we do have intel people working with the Iraqis in country, so it’s likely the Iraqis would convey where targets are.
Where dem A-10’s?
All the soldiers in Iraq have been issued Air Jordans, what boots?
Ha! Send in the Red Skin and Fightin Irish Helicopters!
There aren’t signigicant numbers US ground troops in Iraq. It seems obvious that the Apaches are going to be used to support Iraqi government forces, and possibly Kurdish forces. So what happens when an Apache is inevitably lost?
You are pointing out the obvious fallacy of the Obama strategy. He believes that you can conduct risk free warfare, destroying ISIS without any possibility of U.S. casualties. That’s nonsense and he has sent our troops on a fool’s errand.
Exactly!
Wait until a female US helicopter pilot is photographed in an orange suit
getting her pretty head chopped off?!!!
“You are pointing out the obvious fallacy of the Obama strategy. He believes that you can conduct risk free warfare, destroying ISIS without any possibility of U.S. casualties. That’s nonsense and he has sent our troops on a fool’s errand.”
This is a universal belief of the Democrats
Here's a good question from Democratic Benjamin Cardin: How does the US make sure that weapons it pours into conflicts like the Libyan revolution don't spread to places like Algeria and beyond?
“We had a concerted effort to try to track down and find and recover ManPads” and other weapons in Libya, Clinton says.
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/23/clinton-testifies-congress-benghazi-live
The US has estimated Qaddafi had acquired ~20,000 manpads, many of which have “leaked” into the hands of various “rebel” or “freedom fighter”(terrorist?) groups.
http://www.stimson.org/images/uploads/Shapiro_Libya_Remarks.pdf
That cannot be ruled out.
Another lady making a first.
That’s what mattered.
Your right!
And a GI is going to get his/her head cut off soon and that will surely light a fire under Obama’s Oval Office desk!
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