Mortars raining down on Al Amarah

[Fg Off Max Stout]

Although no stranger to 'incoming' it sounds like Abu Naji has taken a bit of a battering from a sustained mortar attack with approx 30-40 mortars fired at the camp and 4 personnel injured.

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4771617.stm)

It's been quite a rough week on TELIC and it would be very satisfying to lay down a bit of AS90 loving at the source. As time rolls on, circumstances in S Iraq appear less and less conducive to our withdrawal. Will we still be there in 5 years? My money says yes - the only way to end 10000 years of tribal fighting in the Middle East is to nuke the entire region into a the biggest sheet of glass you've ever seen - but that's not PC.

Get well soon chaps!

[BEagle]

"30 or 40 incoming rounds, eh George?"
"Indeed, Sir. But see here, we've had a communique from headquarters.
"Oh good. What's their solution? Read it, would you?"
"Not sure, Sir. It simply says 'From Gen Sir Anthony Hogmanay Melchett STOP Re:Mortars STOP A sort of hat-like thing is needed STOP Umbrella in post STOP Must go to cockers P STOP Good luck STOP'..."
"See, George, they always know how to cheer us up. By the way - has Baldrick fixed the lavatory yet?"
"'Fraid not, Cap. Some blighter has thieved the chain!"
"No George, that was commandeered by the General last time he had to fly out of here in a Herc. He said it would help to protect his ar$e"
"Yes, seems that's all we're here for. To protect the General's ar$e....."

[Training Risky]

"...Where are our Air Force? The men who are supposed to protect us from this kind of thing? Hand me the phone Balders: 'Message for CAS, ACM Sir Hugh Massingbird-Massingbird VC DFC and bar. Message reads 'WHERE ARE YOU, YOU BA$TARD?!'"

(Signal arrives from HQ STC):

"Sorry for not mounting immediate CAS sortie STOP Due to higher priorities the RAF is currently employed elsewhere STOP Conversion to AD Typhoon, investing in re-jigged Nimrods and investing in people, paper, new rucksacks and new no. 1's requires us all to see the big picture STOP Carry on boys, grand job you're doing! Don't ever STOP":mad:

-------------

By the way Max, how' it going? Are you in or out yet?

[SASless]

So much for the British Hearts and Minds victory we heard so much about in the recent past.

Maybe some aggressive patrolling and less setting about in the base camp might be in order. You guys have any counter-mortar radar or still using impact crater analysis for that kind of information?

[BEagle]

I seem to remember something called 'Green Archer' from.....ooh, let me think, 1969? Supposedly it would deduce the point of firing from the trajectory and have shells on the way before the mortar rounds landed.

Presumably there's something rather cleverer around these days?

Or maybe there's no longer any perceived threat.

Baaaaaaaaayyy:rolleyes:

[truckiebloke]

Yanks have got it and we've got some good stuff too....

The only trouble, and the americans have found it out the hard way, is that the clever bast*rds often set the mortars on top of innocent peoples houses, or very close....

Thus more innocent casualties and more suicide bombers willing to take revenge!

Before anyone has a go, im all for either withdrawing, or actually using our armed services as they are meant to be used.....

[M609]

Presumably there's something rather cleverer around these days?
Well..you borrowed several "Arthur" Artillery locating radars from the Norwegian MOD for the invasion in 2003 (Big stink in the media over here, since we opposed the war), but I belive they were returned when Ericsson was able to deliver new units.
http://www.mil.no/multimedia/archive/00072/Arthur-370_72064a.jpg

[soddim]

Is it still PC to fire back without specific authorisation and exemption from the human rights act and current health and safety law?

[kluge]

M609 - looks rather like a hi-tech tennis bat to me. Is it articulated ?

K

[Green Flash]

Isn't that the Mamba MLR? Saw one in a sandy place once, the operators said they could track a - woops, nearly!! - well, put it this way, I still don't believe 'em and I saw 'em track it! Blimey.:ok:

[Fox3snapshot]

We had the comfort of this mortar radar next to our tents in Mogadishu...

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/Fox3snapshot/mortaradar.jpg

Only problem was the militia would have packed up plates, ammo and themselves well before the QRF could track them down so pretty much a waste of time.

:ugh:

[eagle 86]

We are restricted by ROE they aren't. The Western world is being weakened gradually but definitely by the PC brigade - perhaps some "extreme prejudice" is required at home before we can properly tackle the ****fights we have got ourselves into overseas.
GAGS
E86

[SASless]

F3SS,

I drove the Radar Crew to the airport for their flight home....and very politely offered to turn in their UN vehicle for them which they gladly accepted. A current CAA Inspector then Bristow (and former RAF) was most appreciative when I handed him the keys and told him it was the replacement for one that we had stolen the day before.

[Weezer]

Maybe some aggressive patrolling and less setting about in the base camp might be in order.
So what exactly do you think the casualties (including several KIA) of patrols in the Al-Amarah area have been doing? I'm not in the Army, but even so your comment seems a little offensive from where I sit.