Update: A Disturbing Trend in Iraq Helicopter Crashes
We reported the other day on a disturbing trend: Multiple crashes of U.S. helicopters in Iraq that may have been brought down by insurgents using surface-to-air missiles.
Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail all but confirms that the crash of a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad on Wednesday was definitely the result of a missile hit. All seven crew members and passengers on board were killed.
Bill has an update and an Al Qaeda-supplied video of the crash here.
I urge you to watch and listen to the video with jihadist chanting and all. It shows in a horrifyingly direct way how insurgents can make the case that they are able to take on an immensely more powerful enemy and win.
Meanwhile, sources tell Bill that insurgent cells may actually be using the SA-15 Gremlin (or Strela 3) missiles against helicopters. This second-generation weapon is better at overcoming countermeasures and has increased range and flight altitude.
8 Responses to “Update: A Disturbing Trend in Iraq Helicopter Crashes”
Which again begs the question of just where are these weapons coming from?
UIS – According to anarticle from Hackworth the SAM’s have been in Iraq from day one. Other current sources link the SAM traffic to Eastern Europe.
Hack
The surface-to-air missile market is global. It is almost beside the point about where these missiles came from.
Shaun – What’s the latest word on the no fly zone and WH officials? The press seems to ignore the fact that SAMs are on the world market.
No its not beside the point where they are coming from at all. Finding out is key to knowing the dynamics of the situation of what is transpiring in IRaq.
If these missiles had been in Iraq since day 1. 100′s of helicopters and Aircraft would have been shot down by now. The insurgents if they had there hands on these would have been using them as soon as possible.
This is a startling and new development that is precisely to the crux of the matter. Who is now suddenly suppling these weapons?
Are they being stolen by Iraqis from their own armories? Are the Iranians, Saudis, N. Koreans, Jordanians, Chinamen supplying these weapons?
This is an extremely crucial question. Shaun I think the fact you would say where they come from is almost besides the point implies you really dont understand the big picture here.
That is non constructive and its unfair to the boys and girls riding on those helicopters. Who is supplying these weapons IS the story here.
I gotta say, shocking as it is, UIS has a point. Suppliers do matter. If there are a million of these babies in Iraq already such that no more are needed than OK, they have to be found and confiscated/destroyed. Otherwise, finding the suppliers, and closing down the routes of supply, is essential. According to the link:
I don’t think anyone would be surprised if they turned out to be coming from Iran. The issue is what you do about it. The borders are vast and declaring war with Iran (save imminent threat of massive attack, a real one, not invented like last time) is insanity, but you can’t sit back and do nothing. And it’s certainly not irrelevant. What if it’s our “allies” in Saudi Arabia? It’s certainly relevant to the way we treat the collaborating country, I think.
Surprisingly, I actually might agree with Upinsmoke. I might well matter where these weapons come from, especially if there’s a larger strategy involved:
1. New IEDs using explosively-formed projectiles prove deadly against ground convoys, so the military emphasizes helicopters.
2. New shoulder-fired missiles prove increasingly deadly to helicopters, forcing the military back to using ground convoys, which take heavy casualties from the new IEDs.
A no-win situation. It hasn’t come about yet, but the possibility exists that precisely this sort of situation is being engineered by someone.
PS: I really wouldn’t say “Chinamen”, not very PC these days.
[...] More on the announcement here. Posted on February 14, 2007 | Permalink | Categories Iraq | | View blog reactions » “>Comment #1 “>Gray said, February 14, 2007 at 3:57 am Business as usual in Baghdad. The‘government’ starts another thinly veiled campaign targetting Sunnis who already were victims of ethnical cleansing, and the US simply trots along. How is the situation supposed to improve this way? |-( “>Comment #2 “>Gray said, February 14, 2007 at 4:10 am Yawn. Slow comments day. All Europeans still asleep? :-/ “>Comment #3 “>Gray said, February 14, 2007 at 4:31 am Btw, another story ourced on unnamed ‘officials’ is making rounds right now: Al Sadr Fled Iraq, Fearing U.S. Bombs [...]