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India-Pakistan
Eureka: Suspected U.S. Missile Strike Serves up 27 Crispy Critters
2009-02-14
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A suspected U.S. missile strike by a drone aircraft flattened a militant hide-out in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing 27 local and foreign insurgents, intelligence officials said.

Several more purported militants were wounded in the attack in South Waziristan, a militant stronghold near the Afghan border where Al Qaeda leaders Usama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri are believed to be hiding.

Taliban fighters surrounded the compound targeted Saturday in the village of Shrawangai Nazarkhel and carried away the dead and wounded in several vehicles.

Intelligence officials said the victims included about 15 ethnic Uzbek militants and several Afghans. Their seniority was unclear. Two of the officials said dozens of followers of Pakistan's top Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, were staying in the housing compound when it was hit.

The accounts of Saturday's incident could not be verified independently. The tribally governed region is unsafe for reporters. The U.S. Embassy had no comment, while Pakistani government and army spokesman were unavailable.
Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#12  GolfBravoUSMC, the Brits are ecstatic with the combat performance of their MQ-9s and are buying more. Mantis is just one more euro attempt at a viable UAV. To BAE's credit, this is one of the few not based on the IAI Malat Heron TP.
Posted by: rwv   2009-02-14 18:57  

#11  Besides 4 Hellfires, the Reapers also carry two GBU-49s. Other configurations include 8 Hellfires or 4 GBU-49s. Maybe they did a mini-arclight.





New: BAE's Mantis Preys on Predator Territory
Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC   2009-02-14 18:36  

#10  Yummmmmmmmmmmm...flouridated aluminummmmm...
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2009-02-14 17:58  

#9  Small diameter boom?
Or maybe just a surplus Maverick?
Posted by: .5MT   2009-02-14 17:44  

#8  ...not counting baby ducks, puppies, and unicorns.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-02-14 17:18  

#7  31 of them civilians?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-02-14 14:50  

#6  Atomic,
I suspect these hellfires have a thermobaric warhead.

From wikipedia:
"Rather than providing protection as they would from conventional explosive ammunition, structure interior walls, particularly cement or other hard surfaces, magnify and channel the shockwaves created by a thermobaric detonation. The stronger the walls, the higher the pressureÂ’s reflective effect. The turbulent mixing of fuel with ambient oxygen is induced by the presence of walls through enhanced mixing from three different types of instabilities as well as from enhanced chemistry from temperature and pressure velocity gradient in differing fuels,creating a piston type afterburn reaction in enclosed structures."

"The 48-lb (22 kg) AGM-114N Hellfire Metal Augmented Charge introduced in 2003 in Iraq contains a thermobaric explosive fill, utilizing fluoridated aluminium layered between the charge casing and a PBXN-112 explosive mixture. When the PBXN-112 detonates, the aluminium mixture is dispersed and rapidly burns. The resultant sustained high pressure is extremely effective against enemy personnel and structures."
Posted by: Frozen Al   2009-02-14 14:06  

#5  re: atomic the h fire could have caused secondary devices too explode causing that many casualties, but you could be right just give it a few more days and a senator or pres will tell everyone
Posted by: rabid whitetail   2009-02-14 13:17  

#4  Btw, I urge all Rantburgeoisie to help themselves to some celebratory Valentine's candy. Ululululululululu!
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-02-14 13:12  

#3  I think something a little more potent than AGM 114 Hellfire is being used to serve up the fine results we have been seeing lately.

H-fire is a good missile for picking off individual tanks, SUVs, or mud huts, but its usual 35lb warhead seems unlikely to eliminate 27 Talibs unless they were all in the same room.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-02-14 13:08  

#2  Taliban fighters surrounded the compound targeted Saturday in the village of Shrawangai Nazarkhel and carried away the dead and wounded in several vehicles.

Might have been a good opportunity for a follow up strike.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2009-02-14 12:00  

#1  Bonus: Think how well the rest of them will sleep at night.
Posted by: Odysseus   2009-02-14 10:33  

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