Harrier Losses in Afghanistan - The Shade of Blair Mayne

6 Harriers lost in attack in Afghanistan

6 Harrier jets lost in Afghan base attack - UPI.com

 

Steven,

The latest attacks all appear to be very well co-ordinated and no doubt due to the damage caused, the insurgents had good intelligence.

Today the news says that more NATO soldiers (including UK) are killed by their so called friends dressed in Militaryand Police uniform that have been trained by the coallition.

Instead of getting better the whole area is apparently getting worse and I see no end to it.

Regards
Tom

 

Hi,

See Taliban fighters wore US Army uniforms in attack on Prince Harry's base - Telegraph

"Taliban fighters wore US Army uniforms in attack on Prince Harry's base"

"The Taliban fighters who launched an assault on the British base where Prince Harry is serving were wearing American Army uniforms in a well-planned and rehearsed assault, the Nato coalition has disclosed."

“The insurgents, organized into three teams, penetrated at one point of the perimeter fence. The insurgents appeared to be well equipped, trained and rehearsed,” it said.

Dressed in United States army uniforms and some in suicide vests, they attacked aircraft on the airfield with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Six US AV-8B Harrier jets were destroyed, each one estimated to cost at least £20 million ($30 million), and two were significantly damaged. Three refuelling stations were also destroyed and six soft-skin aircraft hangars were damaged, the coalition said.

British troops from 5 RAF Force Protection Wing (51 Squadron RAF), the RAF Regiment, were first on the scene and fighting alongside US marines, repelled the insurgents in a gun battle lasting more than five hours.

Two US Marines died in the attack and several British airmen were wounded, but none of the injuries were classed as serious. In all, eight servicemen and a civilian contractor were injured.

From RockNet

"5 x 51 Sqn RAF Regiment wounded, no fatalities"

It had to happen one day, it appears to have been a breach on the USA perimeter section of Camp Bastion.


Regards, Mick D.

 

Another good reason to leave this ........ country.

 

I hear direct from Afghan that preliminary estimates of the cost of (non human) damage done are £200million.
Having seen plans of Camp Bastion I can see that it is virtually indefensible (especially with the enemy wearing US uniforms, but then again have they learnt nothing from Tele Savalas in the "Battle of the Bulge?").
It occurs to me that the WW2 battle of Imphal should be taught at West Point etc, defendable boxes not a massive perimeter.

David

 

defendable boxes not a massive perimeter.


Defendable boxes of an airbase - vulnerable to mortars - higher casualties since more densely packed - arguments for both strategies

 

Dien Bien Phu?

 

At Dien Bien Phu the French allowed the perimeters to shrink and the enemy had anti aircraft capabilities.
At Imphal the perimeters were held and the enemy had no anti aircraft capability. The Afghans only aa capabilities, so far, are rpgs.
David.

 

The Shade of Blair Mayne


Indeed-It reads just like a WW2 SAS raid in Africa.

 

I really don't understand why countries that have spent billions developing tactical and strategic nuclear weapons risk ground troops and equipment trying to defeat the inhabitants of a fly-blown shit heap.

For goodness sake, evacuate the troops, press the button and blow the place off the map.

 

At Dien Bien Phu the French allowed the perimeters to shrink and the enemy had anti aircraft capabilities.
At Imphal the perimeters were held and the enemy had no anti aircraft capability. The Afghans only aa capabilities, so far, are rpgs.
David.
Well, yes. But I heard Bastion described as being the size of Reading and also being entirely surrounded by a 30-foot high wall, which ought to make it more defensible and permanent than Dien Bien Phu's trenches. Plus, the French hadn't realised the Viet Minh possessed heavy artillery. The Admin Box was only 1200 yards across and both it and Dien Bien Phu were in deep jungle. Bastion OTOH is on a flat plain in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by miles and miles of nothing.

All three are different scenarios, but my point was really that what works in one situation may not work in another.

 

Vitesse, yes I agree what works in one situation may not work in another, I was just saying that Imphal, which did work, should be on the curriculum at West point etc in light of what has happened in Afghan not just this big attack but in terms of attacks on bases generally.
I also realise that I should have been more precise as I was referring to the defence of the 6 airfields in the Imphal valley not the admin box. The RAF airfields were surrounded by the Japanese for 16 weeks and the Japanese did have some artillery. The defence was largely carried out by RAF personnel. For a personal account of the action see the report of LAC Joe Hunter on the Burma Star website. Joe's account has been disputed (not by me) mainly based on evidence from the CWGC; my own research over 2 years (and not yet finished) leads me to believe his account to be not far from the truth and maybe entirely true; the CWGC seems to misrecord some deaths there and there is a wall of silence as far as the suicides are concerned.
Anyway I digress, sorry.
Returning to Afghan, I think there will be serious repercussions re this latest incident both Stateside and amongst those in command in Afghan. In a related incident I am incredulous that they left the security of their Libyan ambassador to civilian contractors.
David

 

I really don't understand why countries that have spent billions developing tactical and strategic nuclear weapons risk ground troops and equipment trying to defeat the inhabitants of a fly-blown shit heap.

For goodness sake, evacuate the troops, press the button and blow the place off the map.

And end up with something like this?

 

Hmmmm, Harry boobed and got sent to Bastion, I wonder if Kate's penciled in for a stint?

 

It reads just like a WW2 SAS raid in Africa.

only far less successful and on behalf of
the most divisive and violent ideology...


I blame the Mexicans for teaching them to tunnel!

 

Great work 51 Squadron RAF Regiment in repelling the attack.

 

Clint, I was wondering about that - if the attack was on the mainly US part of the base how was it that RAF Regt responded first? I take it base security is a shared US/UK duty but were 51 Sqdn just in the right place (if that's what you could call it)?

 

I hear all sorts were involved in the initial choas. No doubt 51 did a good job but as to repelling until more news comes out I am not sure as I hear 14/16 assailants detonated the suicide vests that they were wearing. David

 

Hi,

Bit of background reading for you -

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafoperationalupdate/opsupdate/opsupdate01sep2012.cfm

Quote

"Force Protection

Number 5 (RAF) Force Protection Wing, part of 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, provides all elements of Force Protection to Camp Bastion, the main British Air Base in Helmand Province.

They conduct regular operations to deny the insurgents the ability to operate around the area surrounding the base thus providing safety to people at Camp Bastion and aircraft flying in and out of the base.

51 Squadron RAF Regiment works hard to build relations with the local people living around the area which allows them to ensure any insurgent presence is quickly and effectively dealt with.

Another important task carried out by the Wing is to provide force protection to the helicopters that carry out medical evacuations of injured Coalition and Afghan National Security Force personnel throughout Southern Afghanistan.

The Royal Air Force Police, supported by the Tongan Defence Service, maintain internal and perimeter security for the base, gathering vital intelligence and mounting patrols in the local area. They also provide enhanced security in support of VIP visits."


51 Sqn would have had a patrol ready to go out either resting up or forming to leave the base and responded as a Quick Reaction Force (QRF).


Regards, Mick D.