A-10 warthog too close to Brits.

[Fencer51]

Seems not all the Brits hate the A-10s.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-majors-email-british-harrier-support-in-afghanistan-revisited-02661/

[mechanic]

As a Brit i can honestly say i dont hold anything against Americans who kill friendlies. I just imagine how many of the enemy we would have to kill without American help, and of crouse, how many Brits would be killed by the enemy who have been killed by American CAS missions.

S! USAF

[RTHolmes]

Dont be hating on the Apache, it is by far the best helicopter in the world

I wouldn't - the Army loves em

[BaDkaRmA158Th]

These witch hunts on soldiers who kill friendly's just sucks, people die and 9 times outta 10 the man/woman pulling the trigger has no idea the people they are killing are not enemy, you know dang well not a single one of those pilots climbed into that cockpit knowing they were about to kill a "friend".

Friends, enemy, civilians, supporters of any cause.




$|-|1T happens people, you had all better learn to live with that fact, or your never gonna get outta this life alive. 

[Serenity]

I don't have skin in this thread, but since we are talking FF - lets take 2 examples of how it happens. You really need to go through the full chain of events from the sensor to shooter end to see how these things can happen. The first 2 links are, oddly enough from A-10 CAS aircraft who during OIF were working with a FAC trying to ID some GV's with Orange panels. They did turn out to be British, but pay attention to the comms by the FAC when the A-10s asked if there were any friendly ground assets in their box.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK10pqBpz8g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3THYnJ-PK6U

The second example is a USA AH-64 during the 1st Gulf War which was directed towards what was thought an enemy GV group. The data he was being relayed didn't match with what the computer was telling the pilot. Both cases are tragic, but its extemely important again to see how the shooters decision was made at the time. In the Apache's case, wind drift changed his perspective and track over the ground so it appeared he was looking at the bad guy - when the computer was telling him no twittleing way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8-wr8_qRBQ

Anyway, Stony - you know me well. I'm a C4ISR guy - you know my work history and who I worked for. I'm all about getting the right information to the right people at the right time.

Awe @#$%... The A-10 one is horrible. I mean, they did what they could! They were told no friendlies in the area, what can you do from there? Anyone know the outcome for those pilots? It sickens me reading those youtube comments of people who just don't get it... It seems to me NOT to be the ineptitude of the pilots. That was DEFINITELY a comm. breakdown. No question, and I can think of nothing more those pilots could have done.

[JunkyII]

I wouldn't - the Army loves em

yes im bias

[Tec]

For Serenity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/feb/07/military.topstories3

[Serenity]

For Serenity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/feb/07/military.topstories3

Thanks Tec. Even though they were absolved of guilt, they will probably take their own private guilt to the grave. I really don't see how anyone having seen that video could possibly blame the pilots. Multiple times it was confirmed there were no friendlies in the area... and in a world where information is spread so quickly and freely, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of enemy vehicles using the same friendly identifiers on the tops of their vehicles...

[RTHolmes]

serenity you should probably read this too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/190th_Fighter_Squadron,_Blues_and_Royals_friendly_fire_incident_-_March_28,_2003

whereas some of these incidents are unavoidable, most, like this, are avoidable and only occur because proper proceedure isnt followed. I cant help feeling that the incident would not have happened the way it did if the pilots had been full-timers rather than reservists.