Apaches downed, rethinking strategy

I always assume standard military practice was to use Apache attack helicopters against attacking armor (in defensive posturing), or to use them to outflank armor on the move.

Helicopters are terrible at attacking entrenched defensive positions, as the US Army learned the hard way yesterday.

With a hail of small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, Iraqi forces downed two Apache helicopters today and forced 30 other helicopters in their brigade back to their base.

[...]

All 32 helicopters sustained some damage, occasionally slight, Army officials said, in what was a significant setback for the allies.

[...]

The attack on the helicopters today surprised American Army leaders and may cause them to rethink their military strategy, which relied on the Apaches to destroy Iraq's armored divisions that ring Baghdad.

Frankly, I'm getting quite tired of everyone being "surprised". Want to know what is surprising in war? When the enemy doesn't fight. GW1 was surprising. Kosovo was surprising. Iraqi resistance in the face of an invading army is not surprising.

The US needs to rethink its entire war strategy, not just its use of Apaches.

Posted March 24, 2003 07:45 AM | Comments (115)