"Friendly" fire, blue on blue etc etc etc etc

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-04-06 07:37pm

Anyone got the current stats for KIA, MIA and injured from Friendly fire as opposed to enemy fire?

From my current guesstimates its about 3:1 to friendly fire. Please someone correct me here before I die laughing and crying at the same time.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-06 07:52pm

Actually I think it's closer to two to one.

Given the lethality of coalition eqipment versus what Iraq has so far used it's not suprising. It's a result of the fact that our accidental attack tend to be more lethal than guerilla attacks or even convetional attacks. That simply reflects the fact that our accidents tends to be more lethal than Iraqi attacks. Either way there have been damn few casualties.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-06 08:05pm

Aircraft have accidentally killed 27 Coalition troops so far. Just counting deaths from weapons fire, I believe more Coalition forces have died from friendly fire, but counting total deaths including accidents, its still a minority.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-06 08:07pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:Aircraft have accidentally killed 27 Coalition troops so far. Just counting deaths from weapons fire, I believe more Coalition forces have died from friendly fire, but counting total deaths including accidents, its still a minority.

I want my edit button back...

It appears that 27 is total friendly fire deaths, not just those from Aircraft.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-06 08:30pm

Aren't most friendly-fire deaths due to aircraft, due to the speed and distance which complicates identification?

Sam Or I · Post by **Sam Or I** » 2003-04-06 08:35pm

Anyone saw the FF video from the BBC? It was by far the most intense video of the war thus far. Scarey stuff.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-04-06 09:00pm

Darth Wong wrote:Aren't most friendly-fire deaths due to aircraft, due to the speed and distance which complicates identification?

Mostly, although traditionally artillery has had similar difficulties.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-04-06 09:03pm

I'd say artillery is more a question of inaccurate fire coordinates, rather than misidentification.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-04-06 09:14pm

Probably true, but its the same idea. After all, if your target were a quarter mile away, you could probably tell what you were shooting at and not fire if you saw Challengers and M-1s.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-06 09:27pm

Darth Wong wrote:Aren't most friendly-fire deaths due to aircraft, due to the speed and distance which complicates identification?

Pretty much. You simply can't tell targets apart from the air with fixed wing, a tank is a tank. A person is a person.

Though wrong coordinates are another major problem, and where likely the reason behind the most recent incident with the Kurdish convoy. The Special forces with the unit had just called for an air strike, and they may have broadcast there own position rather then that of the target. It happened a couple times in Afghanistan.

With a high or medium level iron bomb attack, all the pilot would see is a small box, so bombing a convoy when the target was a tank is quite possibul. If it was a JDAM release, which is very likely, then the pilot may never even see the target area.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-04-06 09:36pm

The way its going with friendly fire i think to be safe every American armored vehicle,will have to carry a huge American flag each time an American jets approach.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-04-06 09:46pm

The way you're talking I think the only way for you to be safe is to stop talking sensationalist nonsense, lest someone bash your head in for not knowing what the hell you're talking about.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-04-06 09:48pm

Howedar wrote:The way you're talking I think the only way for you to be safe is to stop talking sensationalist nonsense, lest someone bash your head in for not knowing what the hell you're talking about.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-04-06 10:44pm

With an attack helicopter, you can sneak up, and at a distance identify your target, and attack. With a fixed wing plane like an A-10, you better be lighting up the enemy on the first pass. If you go around for a second run, you'll be eating SAMs and AA fire.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-04-07 04:28pm

Montcalm wrote:The way its going with friendly fire i think to be safe every American armored vehicle,will have to carry a huge American flag each time an American jets approach.

Probably won't work depending on the approach angle and wind.