GR4 Crowd Pleaser!

[tug3]

(c/o BBC) Low-flying bomber disperses mob.

Tornado bombers came to the aid of Scottish troops surrounded by an angry mob in Iraq. One of the aircraft screamed just 250ft overhead to scare off the crowd beseiging three Warrior armoured vehicles in Al Amarah.

The two RAF Lossiemouth-based GR4 jets were on a routine sortie when the pilots were diverted to the city.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41453000/jpg/_41453434_gr4203.jpg
The mob fled and the detachment from the 1st Battalion The Highlanders were able to leave the scene.

RAF and Army officers revealed details of the incident on Friday. The aircraft from 12 (Bomber) Squadron are on a tour of the Gulf and are based in Al Udeid, Qatar.

The Highlanders were on a routine patrol in Al Amarah when a gunman opened fire on one of the Warriors. Several rounds hit the turret. Moments later a crowd of up to 50 people gathered around the vehicles and the detachment commander called for air support. The Highlanders were on patrol in Warrior vehicles.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41453000/jpg/_41453482_warrior203.jpg
Squadron Leader Jonny Moreton said: "After coordinating with the troops on the ground, it was decided that the best way to disperse the crowd and prevent the potential escalation of the incident was for the Tornados to demonstrate our presence in the area."

A Tornado flew 250ft over the crowd causing people to run for cover. Captain Alex Logie, the Warrior patrol commander, said the support from the RAF stopped the possibility further violence.

He said: "The support we got from the Tornados was excellent and their timely intervention was very effective in terms of preventing the situation escalating and allowed us to continue with our task."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4817582.stm

[brickhistory]

Outstanding!

[Vidal]

Spent a fair amount of time at AA last year (not many blue suiters up there) good that the lads were well supported by our own - it was usually the spams in their F15s that did the "show of force" stuff. Keep working hard in Al Udeid lads - you may be at a cushy base but you've got your work cut out!:D

[sooms]

'The Died' may be a bit more comfortable and less dangerous than places up country. But being surrounded by 7000 spams with their silly rules and working 14 hr days in plus 40deg is definately not cushy!

[UnderPowered]

That said, I doubt if its cooler in country, I doubt if you can 'remove yourself' from enemy presence, and I doubt if there's less 'incoming'. Good work the GR4 boys, good work the PR boys for some good news in the papers at last, and damn good work the dudes on the ground sausage side.

[Krystal n chips]

A very nice piece to present to the next bunch of NIMBY's who complain about the need to fly and train at low level in the UK:ok: --this assumes the PR "persons" can actually grasp the idea of putting a positive spin on the event when presenting it to the public in the first place of course---:hmm:

[laughingboy]

Low Level - 250ft -are you 'avin a giraffe?

about time that you fast jet monkeys got down and dirty with it - the SH fraternity have been doing it for years without blowing their own trumpets (oo-er!).

does this merit a DFC for the crews involved?;)

[Mostly NBIW]

'The Died' may be a bit more comfortable and less dangerous than places up country. But being surrounded by 7000 spams with their silly rules and working 14 hr days in plus 40deg is definately not cushy!

-Firstly, isn't it "The Deid"? As in deed not died??!

-Secondly, being surrounded by 7000 spams sounds better than being surrounded by millions of Iraqi insurgents trying to attack you in various ways, whilst you bake in your tent having worked a 16 hr day in 50 deg heat.

How is the swimming pool/air conditioned rooms/BX/R&R trips etc etc at the Deid these days? I dream of the day we get to join you there.

[chevvron]

Same trick used years ago in Malaya using Javelins to help beseiged Ghurka's; they engaged afterburners to simulate bombs; the Ghurkas politely asked them not to drop the bombs so close next time!!

[laughingboy]

flying at 50ft at 140 kts equates to 700kts at 250ft - a feat well beyond the wheazing GR4.
Still it's a good story to wax lyrical about in your air conditioned tent!

[Lord Harry Flashman]

Point Taken. Reply Deleted.

[Vidal]

'The Died' may be a bit more comfortable and less dangerous than places up country. But being surrounded by 7000 spams with their silly rules and working 14 hr days in plus 40deg is definately not cushy!

Sooms,

I don't really want to get involved in a willy-waggling contest but I really don't think that you understood/read my post properly.

I was basically saying that the guys in Al Udeid do indeed (apologies for the alliteration) work bloomin' hard, however they have got some pretty nice facilities to boot.

However if you really want to take issue let's take a quick look at some of your statement a little deeper.

1. A bit more comfortable? Hmm, Al Udeid has 24 hr messing (and no limit on the amount of 'pop' or ice-cream etc {in fact each mess seems to employ a chap to dish out various flavours of Ben & Jerrys on demand}), an awesome gym, cinema, 3 (not 2) can rule (not that most people got the chance to make use of it due to shift times etc, ok - prob same for you guys), a massive BX/PX where even if you weren't satisfied with the 24 hr messing you can grab a snack. Shall I go on to mention the dunkin' donuts, pizza hut, subway and various other outlets (I'm sure I've forgotten them anyway).

2. Less dangerous. And them some - last reported attack on coalition troop in Qatar........?

3. Plus 40 deg? Well what do you think it's like up-country? Do you realise that the human body sweats alot more when having to wear body armour and helmet plus weapon, webbing/chest rig and ammunition PLUS and other required equipment. Oh, and the fact that there could be some nasties out there hoping to try and schwack you can add to the stress levels.

4. Silly rules. Well, let me tell you that they pervade absolutely everywhere, they vary from place to place and they are everywhere, but we all get on with them - it is, after all, our way of life in the military.

5. Spams. Well, I'll be honest - you've got me there:}

Don't get me wrong, as I said before the boys in the 'deid' (Mostly NBIW - yes that is the correct spelling) work bloody hard for the whole time they are out there (do the sqns do a full 4 month det BTW?) but they are in a different environment, I certainly wouldn't have a go at them for where they are detached to but please realise that there are many others who haven't got it quite as nice, and I do know what I'm talking about - 4 month det, 6 weeks Al Amarah, 10 weeks Basrah, 3 days Al Udeid.

Message ends.:ok:

[OCCWMF]

Vidal,

Not actually alliteration at all. ;)

[brickhistory]

'The Died' may be a bit more comfortable and less dangerous than places up country. But being surrounded by 7000 spams with their silly rules and working 14 hr days in plus 40deg is definately not cushy!
Feel free to make your displeasure known by not using the many facilities there mostly courtesy of us 7,000 'Spams.'

(Still an outstanding bit of psyops flying, however!)

[maxburner]

Why is that that when, for once, there's some excellent, positive publicity for a job well done, someone like laughingboy (aka ar#ehole) comes along with some 'I'm better than you / can piss up a rope better than you' comment?

[station workshops]

Anyone out there remember Buccaneers performing a similar public service in Beirut circa 80/81. If I remember correctly there's TV news footage of them hammering in LL between what buildings were left standing at the time.
Apparently on return one crew's quoted as saying if they don't start behaving themselves, next time we'll go in really low.

[brickhistory]

Anyone out there remember Buccaneers performing a similar public service in Beirut circa 80/81. themselves, next time


Operation PULSATOR (very cool way to show your flag!)

[Spugford]

Why is that that when, for once, there's some excellent, positive publicity for a job well done, someone like laughingboy (aka ar#ehole) comes along with some 'I'm better than you / can piss up a rope better than you' comment?

Well said maxburner!

I am, however, going to rise ever so slightly to ar#ehole's low average banter and ask him if he honestly believes the original 250ft statement could possibly have been made for legal reasons, with the reality being a tad lower...?!

Laughingboy... next time you're in your no doubt thrilling geometry sessions working out equivalent speeds and heights, could you compare 600kts @100ft to your (optimistic) 140kts @50ft?

Good girl. :hmm:

[station workshops]

BH, brilliant. I google op pulsator and find that one of the six airframes deployed to Cyprus in 1983 is our old friend XW530, now doing sterling service as 'gate guard' at the Buccaneer Service Station, Elgin.

Read a really interesting entry for 530 at www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk (http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk). Perhaps fitting that such an airframe is still intact and didn't hit the knacker's yard as so many others did on demob.

[sled dog]

chevvron

The incident you describe took place in Borneo, early `60s, not Malaya. Javelin was operating out of Kuching.

[Flap62]

flying at 50ft at 140 kts equates to 700kts at 250ft

There's a bit more to it than just dividing by 5. By your reckoning it's the same as flying at 10ft at 28kts. So you reckon it's as thrilling at 700kts, 250ft as it is on the top deck of a double decker bus then!

[Door Slider]

wow, cant wait to get to London and have a go on an open top bus!! Best i take my goggles and scarf wot wot.

[peppermint_jam]

Sooms,

do the sqns do a full 4 month det BTW?)
Message ends.:ok:

The Sqns only do 2 month dets, but only 7 GR4 sqns able to deploy on ops, so it comes around quite often.

And compared to other bases in the middle east, Al Udeid is a bit of a holiday camp, Al's Garage and Ali Al were far worse. However, the worse so far in my experience, (which is only 9 years) was Camp South in Oman, during Ex Saif Sareah II (spelling?), 2001.

Anyone agree/disagree?

Regards

Rob.

[Door Slider]

It comes round very quickly for the rest of us too!

Puma also does 2 month dets with only 2 sqns.
Merlin, 1 sqn and 2 months dets.
Chinook is the same.
Most people on my sqn do 2 dets to the sandy place and one major environmental det a year. 5 months away EVERY year.
This is aircrew and groundcrew, but also TCW, TSW etc, but overall its still the 'few'

Rotary have always been this busy, the rest of the Air Force is slowly catching up.

I just wish the support people who never deploy would support those who do instead of worrying about their own little world and think they are being ill treated when politely asked to do their jobs. Of course this does not apply to everyone but many people seem to think its an unresonable request for support when we are away for 5 months a year.

Not a rant, just pointing out one of the many factors which is aiding the general slide of standard of life, moral of the coal face workers.

[The Helpful Stacker]

It comes round very quickly for the rest of us too!
Puma also does 2 month dets with only 2 sqns.
Merlin, 1 sqn and 2 months dets.
Chinook is the same.
Most people on my sqn do 2 dets to the sandy place and one major environmental det a year. 5 months away EVERY year.
This is aircrew and groundcrew, but also TCW, TSW etc, but overall its still the 'few'
Rotary have always been this busy, the rest of the Air Force is slowly catching up.
I just wish the support people who never deploy would support those who do instead of worrying about their own little world and think they are being ill treated when politely asked to do their jobs. Of course this does not apply to everyone but many people seem to think its an unresonable request for support when we are away for 5 months a year.
Not a rant, just pointing out one of the many factors which is aiding the general slide of standard of life, moral of the coal face workers.

As someone who spent 6 years on TSW refuelling SH force assets in some of the worlds most 'desirable' locales I must agree with you Door Slider. For years the less pointy (and generally more usable) parts of the RAF have been getting on with our job in conditions a damn sight less appealing than a holiday camp in Qatar.

[Time Flies]

Flap62

Great comeback! :ok:

laughing boy

You chiseller! :mad:

[Vidal]

Vidal,

Not actually alliteration at all. ;)

Blimey, won't be able to sleep tonight, but that may explain the 'C' at ISS! Ok then, excuse the rhymey thing. Good grief!;) Late in response as I've been orf for a bit.:}

[peppermint_jam]

It comes round very quickly for the rest of us too!

Puma also does 2 month dets with only 2 sqns.
Merlin, 1 sqn and 2 months dets.
Chinook is the same.
Most people on my sqn do 2 dets to the sandy place and one major environmental det a year. 5 months away EVERY year.
This is aircrew and groundcrew, but also TCW, TSW etc, but overall its still the 'few'

Rotary have always been this busy, the rest of the Air Force is slowly catching up.

I just wish the support people who never deploy would support those who do instead of worrying about their own little world and think they are being ill treated when politely asked to do their jobs. Of course this does not apply to everyone but many people seem to think its an unresonable request for support when we are away for 5 months a year.

Not a rant, just pointing out one of the many factors which is aiding the general slide of standard of life, moral of the coal face workers.


I know that the rotary boys are never out of the desert and would probably give their right arm to live in the state of luxury that us fast jet geeks enjoy in Qatar. I have a great respect for those who have to spend 5-6 months of every year 'camping'.

As for the distinct lack of support you are offered, I can confirm that this 'kindness' extends to us aswell. Going to stores to try and get desert kit before you deploy is sometimes harder than rocking up to the Tower of London and asking if you can borrow the Crown Jewels for a couple of months.

[FJJP]

Peppermint - do get a grip. We all know that it is easier asking for a loan of the Crown Jewels.

If anyone can be ar*ed to look at the MOD site that shows who's where, it might be an eye-opener to discover just who deploys and with what regularity. I know of one outfit that has aircraft permanently deployed in various theatres and has done so continuously since the run-up to GW ONE. Some individual crew members away for an accumulated 8-9 months every year...

Incidentally, brilliant job by the Tonkka mates!

[country calls]

Well I for one am jealous of the boys at the 'deid and their 'luxuries' but hey ho Queens shilling and all that.

What has made my blood boil this morning is sitting in the Dental Centre waiting room reading a letter in the RAF News from some total asre on 56(R) Sqn bleating about how shabbily he was treated by the AT fleet on his return from a det in Cyprus.

The fact that he perceived he had a legitimate grievance and worse still went into print about why there was no Tristar and Hercules at his immediate beck and call; goes a long way to show that even relatively non bluntys have absolutely no idea just how far the AT and SH fleets are getting the bat shoved where the sun never shines.

Fortunately the chap who did the reply did all but tell the unfortunate pillock to wind his neck in and be grateful for any AT at all for his jolly boys outing.

Well done the GR4 chaps but the rest of you FJ people please wake up and realise that you are not the hardest working troops in NATO!

Rant over

[LOMCEVAK]

The detachment motto on Op Pulsator was "Real men fly through Beirut, not over it". I still have the 'T' shirt. Great fun.