British troops stage daring helicopter rescue in Afghanistan
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Four British soldiers in Afghanistan strapped themselves to the wings of fast-moving Apache attack helicopters in a daring attempt to rescue a comrade shot by the Taliban, according to the defence ministry.
"This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission ... It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade," said UK Task Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce.
Royal Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, 30, was shot on Monday when more than 200 British troops attacked the Islamist militia's Jugroom Fort in southern Helmand province.
When Ford was discovered to be missing, the Marines first planned a rescue attempt with armoured personnel carriers, but when the Apaches became available they decided the fast attack helicopters provided the best opportunity to rescue him.
But the helicopters can only carry a pilot and a gunner, although according to The Guardian newspaper there are attachments on the wings that soldiers can harness themselves to in emergencies.
Two troops each were strapped to the wings of two Apache helicopters, with a third Apache and several ground units providing covering fire.
After landing at the site of the earlier battle, the four soldiers found Ford dead, but were able to recover his body. -
This remind me of the computer game, called.." Nuclear Strike''
In the games, Apache was used to rescue people ...(which is far fetched )
Now, UK use Apache to rescue soldier.. Why didn't US think of that?? -
wow sounds really cool for a rescue mission
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The South African Rooivalk attack helicopter is not only armoured, it can also come with seats externally mounted, to give it a limited rescue/transport role.
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Kewl mission but R.I.P Mr Ford.
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I can bet our RSAF won't even bother to even try to save . They will only bother to use their mouth to console the victims family nia .
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sometimes i think they treasure the expensive equipment more than the men operating it.
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Did they use the new special forces transport pod thing.... forgot wats the name le.Originally posted by mr_sotong:Four British soldiers in Afghanistan strapped themselves to the wings of fast-moving Apache attack helicopters in a daring attempt to rescue a comrade shot by the Taliban, according to the defence ministry.
"This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission ... It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade," said UK Task Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce.
Royal Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, 30, was shot on Monday when more than 200 British troops attacked the Islamist militia's Jugroom Fort in southern Helmand province.
When Ford was discovered to be missing, the Marines first planned a rescue attempt with armoured personnel carriers, but when the Apaches became available they decided the fast attack helicopters provided the best opportunity to rescue him.
But the helicopters can only carry a pilot and a gunner, although according to The Guardian newspaper there are attachments on the wings that soldiers can harness themselves to in emergencies.
Two troops each were strapped to the wings of two Apache helicopters, with a third Apache and several ground units providing covering fire.
After landing at the site of the earlier battle, the four soldiers found Ford dead, but were able to recover his body.
The Apaches were the Brit WAH-64s? -
Only sometimes?Originally posted by beavan:sometimes i think they treasure the expensive equipment more than the men operating it.
Note there is no "leave no man behind" policy for the SAF. If some conscript kenna captured, most likely there will be talk and tons of talk. -
At most, there will some new policy to deal with this kind of "admistrative lapse" as the Guardsman training case.Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:Only sometimes?
Note there is no "leave no man behind" policy for the SAF. If some conscript kenna captured, most likely there will be talk and tons of talk. -
An Mi-24 Hind would have been ideal in this situation. Strangely there's no equivalent in the West?
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double post
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their helicopters are totally used for offensive purposes only.
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This four Brits are either SAS or SBS right???Originally posted by mr_sotong:Four British soldiers in Afghanistan strapped themselves to the wings of fast-moving Apache attack helicopters in a daring attempt to rescue a comrade shot by the Taliban, according to the defence ministry. -
Yes, there is western equivalent.
Blackhawk (US) and Westland Lynx (UK)..
You can attach weapons on those helicopters and they become armed assault helos.Originally posted by Singer high:An Mi-24 Hind would have been ideal in this situation. Strangely there's no equivalent in the West? -
If i was their commander i would warn them from trying such a stunt again but i would recommend all of them for a silver star.
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fuck those terrorists la.
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There is no Silver Star in UK military..
(In the US military, Silver Star rank third, after Congressional Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross.)
You can recommend them for Victoria Cross.. -
will saf soldiers think of it and do it???
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dey will bai ti gong and say: wah lao abang why u so sway den make us so sway to need to go rescue you. Later i die my wife children nobody feed and no money den my children cannot buy psp and gameboy liao la!Originally posted by EDMWSeals:will saf soldiers think of it and do it??? -
Royal Marine Commando strapped to Apache wings to rescue missing mate.
This is not rumor and confirmed by Army spokesman!!
Rescue bid by heroes strapped to helicopters,17.01.07---http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23382037-details/Rescue%20bid%20by%20heroes%20strapped%20to%20helicopters/article.doFour Royal Marine commandos flew into a battlefield strapped to the wings of two Apache helicopters to retrieve a missing comrade.
The daring mission to recover Lance Corporal Mathew Ford under fire in Afghanistan is the first time British forces have conducted such a risky operation.
British soldier killed in Afghanistan named
But it ended in sadness when the Marines found the 30-year-old member of 45 Commando had been killed. He is the 46th British serviceman to die in Afghanistan since 2001.
He had been seen to be shot on Monday as he led his men in storming a strongly- defended fort used by the Taliban as a key headquarters.
Enemy fire was so heavy that the troops following him had to withdraw, but comrades were determined to try to find him.
The pilots of two Apaches, which cannot carry passengers, flew back into the combat zone with four Marines on their wings in an operation dubbed Flight of the Phoenix.
The aircraft, carrying two men each, swooped on the compound, while a third Apache hovered above, keeping the Taliban at bay.
When they found his body the four Marines jumped off the wings and strapped it to a landed helicopter. They then mounted the wings of the Apaches again as the aircraft flew back to the British headquarters.
An Army spokesman said: "It was a leap into the unknown. It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and Marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade."
The attack was one of the largest offensive operations against the Talibanin Helmand province, involving more than 200 ground troops, artillery, bombers and helicopter gunships attacking Jugroom fort outside the volatile town of Garmsir.
The area is a key supply route for Taliban fighters crossing the nearby border from Pakistan. The fort had been under surveillance for weeks.
Troops from 45 Commando crossed a river at dawn to attack the high-walled compound and came under "ferocious fire from all sides".
Lance Corporal Ford was leading his section of Marines as they charged when he was shot. Four other British servicemen were injured. The lance corporal grew up in Immingham, Lincolnshire, and joined the Marines six years ago.
He lived with his fiancee Ina, a student in Dundee, and had been serving in Afghanistan since October.
Yesterday his family told how he was considering leaving the Marines to settle down and start a family.
His mother Joan said: "We are all devastated by the news of Mathew's death. His love for life and his ability to make everyone laugh will always be with us."
An Apache: The Marines flew in tied to the winds of the helicopters
Shot: Matthew Ford, 30
2.If you are Commander,would you allow them to do so?? -
yeah i meant something of their equivalent... hehe some award la. Not v familiar with all the medals.
If my fellow bros are stranded out there i will do what i can to get him back or help others to get theirs. -
US already did this.Apache Pilots Save Comrades in Daring Rescue
By Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Nov. 5, 2004 -- For two AH-64D Apache Longbow pilots, the night of Oct. 16 was just a regular night flying a reconnaissance mission around southern Baghdad. ...
Four personnel to get out and only two seats in the Apache posed a problem. Self-extraction was a maneuver the pilots had been told about in flight school -- a maneuver considered dangerous enough that no practical application was given, just the verbal "here's how you do it."
Hanging from every pilot's flight vest is a nylon strap attached to a carabiner. On the outside of the Apache there are handholds bolted on primarily to assist maintenance crews as they work on the birds. But, they also have another purpose -- to be used in the event of a self-extraction. The general idea is for the pilot to wrap a nylon strap through the handholds and then connect the strap to the carabiner. The aircraft then flies off to a safe location with the person attached to the outside of the aircraft. .....
Army Capt Ryan Welch, an AH-64D Apache Longbow pilot, sits strapped to the outside of his helicopter as Army Chief Warrant Officer Justin Taylor looks out from his gunner position inside the aircraft. The two pilots are both with the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and performed a daring rescue mission Oct. 16 in which Welch strapped himself, as seen here, to his aircraft so one of the injured pilots could sit in his seat. After recovering the pilots, they flew to the nearest combat support hospital. Photo by Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, USA
2.SG Apache crews should practise this!
(Click photo for screen-resolution image); high-resolution image available.
3.back to Royal Marines rescue
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official UK DoD video and news--cant find video from DoD,
.....And so four troops were strapped to the small side 'wings' of two Apaches, two to each helicopter. A third Apache provided aerial cover, and further units laid down a mass of covering fire while the other two Apaches landed.
2.video from http://www.theage.com.au/
All four men got off, as well as some of the aircrew, to provide additional firepower and to assist with the recovery of Lance Corporal Ford.
UK Task Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce, said:
"It was a leap into the unknown. This is believed to be the first time UK forces have ever tried this type of rescue mission.
"It was an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery of our airmen, soldiers and marines who were all prepared to put themselves back into the line of fire to rescue a fallen comrade." ...
pl put the clip in YOUtube and post link here.
3.
Winging it: Marines Captain David Rigg, left, and Chris Fraser-Perry take off strapped to an Apache, in one of the first images to emerge of a daring mission in which four British marines strapped themselves to a helicopter to recover a fallen colleague in Afghanistan. Picture: British Defence
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/