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| Iraq |
| 1,000 U.S. paratroopers secure Harir airfield |
| 2003-03-27 |
| The soldiers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade parachuted to the ground, then walked across flat, open fields and assembled in the new morning light. They then began to secure the Harir airfield, not far from Bashur. Harir is about 40 miles from the border of Iraqi-controlled territory and is within an area not hostile to coalition forces. The paratroopers stepped out of C-17 Globemaster transport planes that took off from an undisclosed airfield in Europe, according to CNN Correspondent Steve Nettleton, who is embedded with the unit there. The cargo planes returned to the airfield empty, and the Army will now begin to load military equipment -- including tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers -- onto the planes to bring them into northern Iraq, Nettleton said. The airstrip at Harir is around 6700 feet, big enough for C-17s to land. Each can carry one M-1 tank, or several APCs. Not the best way to insert them, but it can be done. The Army aims to secure the northern area so a larger armored force can enter. Another goal is to stabilize the area to prevent other forces from coming in, whether it be Turks from the north or Iraqis from the south. The move will also eventually lead the way to the entry of humanitarian aid. Two U.S. helicopters at the Harir airfield also unloaded personnel and equipment. Kurdish forces met them and transported them in three-ton trucks. The 2,000-strong 173rd Airborne Brigade is based in Vicenza, Italy, and the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor, which is bringing in its armored vehicles, is based in Bilsek, Germany. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 From GlobalSecurity.org: Reports on March 27 indicate that elements of the 1st Infantry Division are being airlifted into Bashur/Herrir. They've been sitting in Germany waiting. Some of their logistics personnel had been in Turkey getting bases ready. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-03-27 11:23:11 |
| #5 reuters now reports that Kurdish Peshmerga have advanced 2.5 miles into what had been Iraqi controlled territory near Chamchamal |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-27 10:12:57 |
| #4 Why just C-17s? According to the specs, a loaded C-5 can land on a 4,900 ft runway. They don't list an empty takeoff requirement, though they do give a 12,200 ft requirement for loaded takeoff. Advantages of C-5 is that they can carry 2 Abrams, rather than the C-17s 1. In addition, I'm guessing that the smaller C-17 will be in demand in southern and western Iraq. |
| Posted by: Reed 2003-03-27 09:26:59 |
| #3 For all those who critize Rummy, this is his point about being mobile and deployable. An effective armored vehicle which uses an entire airframe hinders strategic and operational projection. Since the taxpayers are not going to fund a massive increase in manning and equiping airlift to move brigades of this stuff around, the alternative is to exploit technology and reduce the weight of these beast while retaining the hitting and crew protection near what we have now. So next time some generals throw a hissy fit because Rummy wants to cut their pet project that requires sea transport because the airframe can't handle it, just remember this operational situation. |
| Posted by: Don 2003-03-27 08:47:39 |
| #2 I hope they'll be good to us when this is over. I hope they aren't France/Germany/South Korea all over again 5 years from now. |
| Posted by: g wiz 2003-03-27 08:18:27 |
| #1 I hope we'll be good to the Kurds and Armenians when this is over. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-03-27 08:12:04 |