Mortar attacks on U.S. bases a growing problem

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/197/world/Mortar_attacks_on_U_S_bases_a_:.shtml

BALAD, Iraq (AP) When soldiers of the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division settled into a new headquarters, some people in the area gave them a less than warm welcome: regular mortar attacks at the base where they sleep, eat and work.

Though no one has been killed in the attacks at the Sustainer Air Field, there have been wounded including 20 members of an Army medical team injured in one attack.

And the mortar fire which has come nearly every other day since July 3 has had a definite psychological impact on the troops, shaking the earth and sending soldiers scurrying for cover in the middle of their daily routine.

''You don't know when and where the next one is coming,'' said 1st Lt. Greg Hotaling. ''It's not like in the movies when you hear a whistle. That's why it's such a psychological weapon. In a firefight, you can at least see something there. As long as you can put something between you and him you're safe.''

more

[Sagan]

1. surely they're just using the mortars to deliver roses to their liberators

They would never fire shells at Americans. They love us! * said so!

[catmandu57]

2. They're going to hit something

Must be zeroing in on a target, I don't believe these are professional soldiers. More than likely they're pissed off locals looking for revenge.

[happyslug]

3. They know what they are doing

When I was in the field Artillery we were told that Artillery Sheel Detecting Radar can locate your position as soon as you fire the round and can return fire within two minutes to where the rounds were fired. Thus the fact that these mortormen and leaving after fring three rounds (about 20 seconds) implies to me they KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. They are professionals who know they can only stay in one spot jut long enough to fire three rounds and than MARCH ORDER and get the hell out of there before the location is hit with retrun fire from our 120 mm Mortars.

Very professional NOT to stay and be killed.

[Mithras61]

4. Re: ASDR

ASDR is only one of the ways that can be used for this ( I was FA too... back in the early 80s). We were told best case was about 3 minutes if the OpFor didn't have ASDR, because the shell hole in the ground leaves an irregular pattern that can be used to determine the inbound angle, and the depth can be used to determine the distance. It helps to think of the crater as an angled cone with depth varying based on the speed of the shell...