Bye, bye bad guys, Donkeys are ok.

[dallaswareagle]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eBEU-OiEvII   

[Snaggletiger]

Question. What kind of ammo/rockets/boom-booms were they using? At first, it looked like they were spraying them with machine gun fire.  Using LARGE machine guns  Then, it looked like they were sending a rocket up dat a$$.  A few times, it appeared they dropped the bad guys.  In others, it looked like a single shot turned the guy into spaghetti. 

[dallaswareagle]

Question. What kind of ammo/rockets/boom-booms were they using? At first, it looked like they were spraying them with machine gun fire.  Using LARGE machine guns  Then, it looked like they were sending a rocket up dat a$$.  A few times, it appeared they dropped the bad guys.  In others, it looked like a single shot turned the guy into spaghetti.

The spraying is 30mm cannon fire, it can ruin your day. Yes, they were using one hell fire missle to kill one person. When I was in the birds were alway given free range to pick and choose what weapons to use. Some caught a lot of flack if they came back with inventory and troops on site got hurt by any enemy fire.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M230_chain_gun 

[Snaggletiger]

The spraying is 30mm cannon fire, it can ruin your day. Yes, they were using one hell fire missle to kill one person. When I was in the birds were alway given free range to pick and choose what weapons to use. Some caught a lot of flack if they came back with inventory and troops on site got hurt by any enemy fire.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M230_chain_gun

Anything like.....?

[dallaswareagle]

Anything like.....?

That's a hand held vulcan mini-gun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minigun   

[Snaggletiger]

I'm obviously eeliterate when it comes to a lot of this stuff.  I recall my hunting days when I had a 7mm rifle.  It was basically designed for shooting from mountain top to mountain top to drop a bear.  Way more than I ever needed in Alabama but the more fire power, the better, right?  And this is 30mm?  So a direct hit either cuts him in half or splatters him all over the rocks.  Amarite?

[dallaswareagle]

I'm obviously eeliterate when it comes to a lot of this stuff.  I recall my hunting days when I had a 7mm rifle.  It was basically designed for shooting from mountain top to mountain top to drop a bear.  Way more than I ever needed in Alabama but the more fire power, the better, right?  And this is 30mm? So a direct hit either cuts him in half or splatters him all over the rocks.  Amarite?

Both. Because of the rate of fire it is very seldom that only one hits you.

When you see TV clips and you see tracers firing down range, just know that tracers are set at every 4th round, the other three you can't see.

[Snaggletiger]

Both. Because of the rate of fire it is very seldom that only one hits you.

When you see TV clips and you see tracers firing down range, just know that tracers are set at every 4th round, the other three you can't see.

That, I did not know.  In this particular operation, you had what, 2 choppers (3.7)?  Or was the communication between the pilot and someone doing the shooting?  Or does the pilot do the shooting?

[Godfather]

That, I did not know.  In this particular operation, you had what, 2 choppers (3.7)?  Or was the communication between the pilot and someone doing the shooting?  Or does the pilot do the shooting?

I don't think those were choppers pretty sure those were drones.

and I imagine he was communicating with the ground team and his command team.

[dallaswareagle]

That, I did not know.  In this particular operation, you had what, 2 choppers (3.7)?  Or was the communication between the pilot and someone doing the shooting?  Or does the pilot do the shooting?

There were two birds on station. The first one ran out of 30mm ammo and that's why he went to missiles.

The pilot does the flying (back seat) while the co-pilot/Gunner engages targets.

You had the two birds talking to each other and also you had command in there also alerting them about "friendlies" in the area.

When done right the guys can "bring the pain to the enemy"

[dallaswareagle]

I don't think those were choppers pretty sure those were drones.

and I imagine he was communicating with the ground team and his command team.

Could be right, I don't remember the drones having MG capabilities. 

[Snaggletiger]

There were two birds on station. The first one ran out of 30mm ammo and that's why he went to missiles.

The pilot does the flying (back seat) while the co-pilot/Gunner engages targets.

You had the two birds talking to each other and also you had command in there also alerting them about "friendlies" in the area.

When done right the guys can "bring the pain to the enemy"

Another question.  How far away are they when they're firing?  It didn't appear too many of the sheet heads were in a panic.  Some just sitting there waiting to go splat.

[dallaswareagle]

Another question.  How far away are they when they're firing?  It didn't appear too many of the sheet heads were in a panic.  Some just sitting there waiting to go splat.

If memory serves;

30mm cannon effective fire from around 2000 meters with a max effective range of 5000 meters.


Went to Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_AH-64_Apache     


This could be what we are seeing. Different from when I was in.

The AH-64E Apache has the ability to control unmanned aerial vehicles, used by the U.S. Army to perform aerial scouting missions previously performed by the OH-58 Kiowa. Apaches can request to take control of an RQ-7 Shadow or MQ-1C Grey Eagle from ground control stations to safely scout via datalink communications. There are four levels of UAV interoperability (LOI): LOI 1 indirectly receives payload data; LOI 2 receives payload data through direct communication; LOI 3 deploys the UAV's armaments; and LOI 4 takes over flight control. UAVs can search for enemies and, if equipped with a laser designator, target them for the Apache or other friendly aircraft.

[Snaggletiger]

So, they can fire those shots at a minimum of a little more than a mile away.  No wonder a lot of the baddies weren't in full haul a$$ mode.

[Godfather]

You are right consensus seems to be an Apache helicopter.

[dallaswareagle]

So, they can fire those shots at a minimum of a little more than a mile away.  No wonder a lot of the baddies weren't in full haul a$$ mode.

The funny thing about the Hell fires is if you noticed it comes almost straight down on target, the gunner fires them at an up angle, it picks up the laser sighting and "boom goes achmed"

[Snaggletiger]

The funny thing about the Hell fires is if you noticed it comes almost straight down on target, the gunner fires them at an up angle, it picks up the laser sighting and "boom goes achmed"

That was where I was going next.  The video looks like he's an observer and the dy-no-mite is dropping in from somewhere else.  Please to be explain.  The gunner locks a laser in on the target and then he launches said 30mm in that general direction and they track to the target?

[dallaswareagle]

That was where I was going next.  The video looks like he's an observer and the dy-no-mite is dropping in from somewhere else.  Please to be explain.  The gunner locks a laser in on the target and then he launches said 30mm in that general direction and they track to the target?

The 30mm(machine gun) is sight on target (no laser). They gauge distance, angle (with on board computer help) and pull the trigger. You see a spray pattern and the could be on purpose or the bird shifted while firing.

The hell fire missle is a laser guided to target. Lasers can be shot from ground forces, drones, other birds.


From the wikis:

 The AGM-114L, or Longbow Hellfire, is a fire-and-forget weapon: equipped with a millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, it requires no further guidance after launch—even being able to lock-on to its target after launch[8]—and can hit its target without the launcher or other friendly unit being in line of sight of the target.

[Snaggletiger]

I'm starting to worry now.  When soldiers go into a particular combat situation, do all of you go to the wiki's to learn how to fire your weapons?

[Catphish Tilly]

This reminded me of a story a buddy of mine talked about after his tour. As a drone pilot in Iraq, his job was similar to what this video portrayed (with regards to patrolling the friendly skies and keeping the good guys safe).

One particular mission, they were monitoring a targeted encampment of enemies who were completely oblivious to Uncle Sam's eye in the sky. While that night's activity was pretty consolidated within a small area, there were various foot patrols and domesticated animals milling about. My buddy zeroed in on one particular combatant as he casually patrolled passed a dog roped to (something). Only the savage didn't just pass by... Yep, instead the sick SOB dropped trousers/lifted robe whatever and swiftly had his way with Fido.

Unfortunately for jihadi Jumbo, his little romp wasn't as private as he thought. Authorization to engage was given shortly thereafter and he and the rest of his pals were given a fast ticket to allah. I don't know what became of Fido but I like to think it was better off regardless.