Britain at war with the Taliban
Chopper heroes reveal horror
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
September 15, 2006
HERO chopper pilots are fighting a lethal duel in the Afghan badlands — against worsening odds.
The airmen are flying terrifyingly dangerous missions into Taliban territory to help out under-fire Paras.
And an RAF commander said: “Every time they go in they know that they roll the dice again — and every time they survive they know that the odds get slimmer next time.”
The scenario was revealed in Day Two of a bombshell dossier of first-hand accounts of what life is like for troops in Helmand province.
In a classified document leaked to The Sun, the commander told how Apache attack helicopters have to fly in low to blast hostile landing zones only seconds before Chinook and Lynx choppers arrive carrying kit and reinforcements.
And he described the risks crews take going in under the “threat band” — the height at which they should be safe from being hit from the ground.
The commander said: “The courage of the crews cannot be underestimated. Despite flying high to avoid small arms, pilots still regularly see RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) and heavy machine gun rounds passing close by them.
“One Apache pilot commented, ‘Hey, aren’t we meant to be above the threat band?’ as an RPG airburst 100m from him.”
Yesterday The Sun told of the grit and valour shown by Paras amid astonishing hardship in desolate outpost bases.
Three thousand combat troops in Helmand, led by 3 Para, are kept resupplied by six RAF Chinook and four Lynx helicopters.
Based at British desert HQ in Camp Bastion, there are also eight AH-64 Apaches from 9 Regiment Army Air Corps. They provide vital close air support for soldiers under attack.
In his personal account, the RAF boss added: “One Chinook crew went into the same landing site three times within one hour under heavy fire to extract casualties and drop ammunition.
“A watching Apache pilot said it looked like the closing scene from Star Wars as the Chinook went in, due to the amount of tracer in the air.”
One flyer told how airmen lead lives of stark contrast between base and combat.
He explained: “One moment crews could be watching a film in an air-conditioned tent.
“An hour later they could be extracting a critically wounded casualty with RPGs flying past and small arms making a ‘ticking’ sound as they pass through the fuselage of their aircraft.”
A very experienced Chinook pilot summed up the risks by saying: “If this place is 100 on the scale, the invasion of southern Iraq was 30 and Northern Ireland was ten on a bad day.”
Apache crews have fought in conditions in which no test pilots have ever flown — and have had to beg air authorities in the UK to bend strict flying rules to get the job done.
One Apache pilot told how the cannon-carrying choppers sometimes have to blast Taliban fighters just 10m away from their own troops’ positions.
He wrote: “You can hear the relief in the voice of the air controller on the ground when you check in, and hear his spirits drop when you depart.
“Confidence in weapons is high.
“The 30mm cannon has proved to be a decisive weapon system, engaging enemy forces at times down to 10m from friendlies.
“No other fire support can get as close and have such a devastating effect. We can bring the 30mm cannon to bear as quickly as a soldier can bring a rifle to his shoulder.
“Hellfire missiles and CRV7 rockets have been used to smash down walls of buildings, deny equipment and destroy the enemy in prepared positions.”
Apache crews often spend six or seven hours in the cockpit, with sleep patterns continually broken by call-outs.
The pilot warned of the need to fight fatigue, saying: “Identifying enemy and friendly forces, communicating over up to seven radio nets at one time, you also have to maintain situational awareness of the ground picture.
“You also have to look out for your wingman, Chinooks and any other aircraft.
“Apache crews feel intense satisfaction at being able to support ground troops in contact and making a real difference.
“Being told you saved someone’s life makes all the training seem very worthwhile.”
thesun.co.uk
Chopper heroes reveal horror
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
September 15, 2006
HERO chopper pilots are fighting a lethal duel in the Afghan badlands — against worsening odds.
The airmen are flying terrifyingly dangerous missions into Taliban territory to help out under-fire Paras.
And an RAF commander said: “Every time they go in they know that they roll the dice again — and every time they survive they know that the odds get slimmer next time.”
The scenario was revealed in Day Two of a bombshell dossier of first-hand accounts of what life is like for troops in Helmand province.
In a classified document leaked to The Sun, the commander told how Apache attack helicopters have to fly in low to blast hostile landing zones only seconds before Chinook and Lynx choppers arrive carrying kit and reinforcements.
And he described the risks crews take going in under the “threat band” — the height at which they should be safe from being hit from the ground.
The commander said: “The courage of the crews cannot be underestimated. Despite flying high to avoid small arms, pilots still regularly see RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) and heavy machine gun rounds passing close by them.
“One Apache pilot commented, ‘Hey, aren’t we meant to be above the threat band?’ as an RPG airburst 100m from him.”
Yesterday The Sun told of the grit and valour shown by Paras amid astonishing hardship in desolate outpost bases.
Three thousand combat troops in Helmand, led by 3 Para, are kept resupplied by six RAF Chinook and four Lynx helicopters.
Based at British desert HQ in Camp Bastion, there are also eight AH-64 Apaches from 9 Regiment Army Air Corps. They provide vital close air support for soldiers under attack.
In his personal account, the RAF boss added: “One Chinook crew went into the same landing site three times within one hour under heavy fire to extract casualties and drop ammunition.
“A watching Apache pilot said it looked like the closing scene from Star Wars as the Chinook went in, due to the amount of tracer in the air.”
One flyer told how airmen lead lives of stark contrast between base and combat.
He explained: “One moment crews could be watching a film in an air-conditioned tent.
“An hour later they could be extracting a critically wounded casualty with RPGs flying past and small arms making a ‘ticking’ sound as they pass through the fuselage of their aircraft.”
A very experienced Chinook pilot summed up the risks by saying: “If this place is 100 on the scale, the invasion of southern Iraq was 30 and Northern Ireland was ten on a bad day.”
Apache crews have fought in conditions in which no test pilots have ever flown — and have had to beg air authorities in the UK to bend strict flying rules to get the job done.
One Apache pilot told how the cannon-carrying choppers sometimes have to blast Taliban fighters just 10m away from their own troops’ positions.
He wrote: “You can hear the relief in the voice of the air controller on the ground when you check in, and hear his spirits drop when you depart.
“Confidence in weapons is high.
“The 30mm cannon has proved to be a decisive weapon system, engaging enemy forces at times down to 10m from friendlies.
“No other fire support can get as close and have such a devastating effect. We can bring the 30mm cannon to bear as quickly as a soldier can bring a rifle to his shoulder.
“Hellfire missiles and CRV7 rockets have been used to smash down walls of buildings, deny equipment and destroy the enemy in prepared positions.”
Apache crews often spend six or seven hours in the cockpit, with sleep patterns continually broken by call-outs.
The pilot warned of the need to fight fatigue, saying: “Identifying enemy and friendly forces, communicating over up to seven radio nets at one time, you also have to maintain situational awareness of the ground picture.
“You also have to look out for your wingman, Chinooks and any other aircraft.
“Apache crews feel intense satisfaction at being able to support ground troops in contact and making a real difference.
“Being told you saved someone’s life makes all the training seem very worthwhile.”
thesun.co.uk