SwiftVets.com

[lthrneck]

Pretty decent article about UAV's and combined arms coordination. Looks like they have gotten their sh*t together since I was in.

FYI. From an Air Commando guy.

From a recent e-mail...... This could quite possibly explain why the
six suspected perpetrators of the MI-8 helicopter shootdown and
the assassination of the pilot were rounded up as quickly as they
were.

UAV's

With thanks to Captain Walt Martin for passing this along.

In a small tent on the outskirts of Fallujah, a dozen Marines in a unit
known as the Watchdogs crowd around a pair of 26-in. monitors that show the
same nighttime scene.

"There goes a mongoose kid," says Lt. Col. John "Ajax" Neumann, commanding
officer and mission commander. "Stay with him."

Cpl. Phillip Saliba adjusts the zoom lens of an infrared camera on the
underside of a remotely piloted aircraft circling 3000 ft. above the Iraqi
city. Even from that height, the black-and-white video feed clearly Shows a
cyclist hunched over the handlebars, feet pumping furiously, tires kicking
up a rooster tail of dust. To the Watchdogs, the rider looks like a
mongoose scurrying across a field. "He's heading for the safe house,"
Saliba says.

In the monochrome of the plane's camera, Fallujah is as bright as day, yet
dingy and depressing--block after desolate block of courtyard walls, squat
buildings and empty streets. The cyclist swerves left and disappears under
a tin roof.

"We've already marked that location," Neumann says. In the four months that
the Watchdogs have kept Fallujah under surveillance with Pioneer Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), they have pinpointed more than 100 safe houses used
by insurgents and the mujahedeen--"muj" to the Marines. The bike riders are
sentries.

"He's probably going off watch," Neumann says. Hgh above, the UAV holds
station, turning in lazy circles, the camera locked on the safe house,
where an armed guard stands watch on a patio. A few minutes later, a pickup
barrels down the street. The driver brakes in front of the safe house and
backs under the tin roof.

"They think if they drive fast, we might not see them," a Marine
says. "With all the dust they kick up, how could we miss them?"

"Call for a fire mission?" asks Lt. J.D. Parchman, the intelligence section
watch officer. "We got a positive ID on weapons. Clear violation. Has to be
muj."

"Negative," Neumann says. "It's almost H-hour, and we're supporting the
opening raid. Push north to the hospital."

H-hour--19:00, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004, the launch of Operation al-Fajr (the
Dawn). After eight months of vacillation and negotiation by the Iraqi and
U.S. governments, 10,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers, along with 2000 Iraqi
soldiers, are about to kick off a campaign to regain control of Fallujah,
the strong point of the Sunni insurgency just west of Baghdad and the
sanctuary of the Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. An estimated 70
percent of the
300,000 residents have fled; the 4000 insurgents who remain vow to fight to
the death. American and Iraqi troops need to clear them out with minimum
casualties to Multi-National Forces, Iraqi Security Forces and civilians.
That means detecting where the enemy is hiding, and in what strength. For
such precise intelligence, the Americans turn to units like the Watchdogs
of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron VMU-1 and their Pioneer UAVs.

"Those muj are out there to kill our soldiers and Marines," Neumann says.
"We're here to find them so our shooters kill them first."

The UAV deployment is part of the American military's increasing reliance
on unmanned technology. InIraq, this dominance of the robotic battlefield
has helped limit both coalition and civilian casualties. Radio-controlled
robots are used to detonate homemade bombs; tethered blimps are common at
bases. About 10 types of UAVs patrol the skies, providing real-time
surveillance and battle damage assessment to troops on the ground.

The 14-ft.-long Pioneer RQ-2B, which proved its worth in 1991 during Desert
Storm, looks like a boxy model aircraft you might buy at Radio Shack,
assemble in the garage, and fly in the nearest park for a day of fun with
the kids. With radio-controlled landings and takeoffs, just like a model
aircraft, the Pioneer can loiter over targets for more than 5 hours.
Circling at less than 100 mph, it provides a steady platform for a daytime
optical camera and a nighttime Forward-Looking Infrared camera.

Four months before Operation al-Fajr, the Watchdogs pitched their
operations tent next to a runway about
12 miles west of Fallujah and started sending up four Pioneers a day on
hundreds of sorties. Whenever insurgents came out of doors, the UAVs
tracked them--day after day, night after night. The Watchdogs followed one
pickup from a mosque to a highway beyond the city limits, where three men
with their arms bound were pushed into a ditch and shot. The pickup was
then driven back into town and parked in front of a safe house. The
Watchdogs tagged it for later bombing.

Several times the Watchdogs monitoring the Pioneer's video feed saw pickups
swerve into empty lots. The occupants would jump out, fire a few rockets
and scurry off before a response attack could be launched. "We followed one
pickup after it fired some rockets," says Staff Sgt. Francisco Tataje, the
intelligence chief. "It swung up onto the main highway, and we had it
intercepted. The driver had a perfect ID. No incriminating stuff. We gave
the interrogation team a copy of our video. They called back later to say
the guy confessed."

The conflict in Iraq has proved that UAVs can do more than collect
data. And, with Operation al-Fajr ready to roll, the Watchdogs' billet has
been expanded to include target acquisition and strike coordination. By
making airborne robotic technology a common and useful battlefield tool at
the lowest tactical level--regiments and battalions--the Watchdogs and
similar units in Iraq have opened a new dimension in warfare.

When Neumann's crew tracks a promising target, it sends a "story board"--a
PowerPoint presentation with text, and digital photos, maps and video
streams--to one of the regiments or brigades the Watchdogs support. The
data also goes to the Tactical Fusion Center on the west side of town,
which collects information from UAVs, companies on the front lines,
electronic intercepts, agent reports and other intel. TheTactical Fusion
Center then sends the information to regimental or battalion combat teams,
which determine target priorities. The combat teams' Fires Sections assign
the shooters--artillery, AC-130 Spectre gunships, strike aircraft or even
Hellfire missile-equipped Predator UAVs.

As the six battalions taking part in Operation al-Fajr roll into town from
the northern outskirts, the Pioneer flies to the Fallujah General Hospital,
located on the west bank of the Euphrates at a great bend in the river. The
Watchdogs study the twin monitors' high-contrast images, which show a line
of white ghosts snaking around palm trees in the hospital courtyard and
winding up onto the roof. "Those guys are wearing packs," Neumann says.
"They're friendlies. It's the Iraqi Commando Forces."

"Concur," says watch officer Parchman. "They're too disciplined to be muj."

Outside the hospital, armored cars kick up dust, their warm engines visible
through the hoods as glowing white dots. The Marine 3rd Light Armored
Reconnaissance (LAR) battalion is moving into position to cover the Iraqi
raiders. Lance Cpl. Robert Daniels reads a secure chat-room message that
pops up on his screen. "LAR wants us to sweep across the river," he says.
"Someone's firing."

"Take us east," Neumann tells the UAV pilot. "Shift from white-hot to
black-hot."

The pilot takes the Pioneer across the Euphrates, while his partner
tightens the camera's zoom and switches to display a negative image: Now
heat-generating objects show up on the monitors as black images instead of
white ones. The screen image jumps slightly and then comes into focus: two
black spots moving behind an earthen berm.

"I confirm weapons," says Sgt. Jennifer Forman, an imagery analyst. "Watch
their right arms when they run. They're shooting across the river." Just
as the black spots bob together, the screen suddenly blooms black, then
settles back into focus, showing a thick gray cloud and a scattering of
small black spots, like someone in the cloud has thrown out a handful of
rocks.

"Tank gun got them," Neumann says. "Picked them up from their thermals.
They're scratched. Scan up the street."

The Pioneer's camera tracks up a wide, empty boulevard bordered by
ramshackle warehouses, tin-roof repair shops and dingy apartment buildings.
A few hundred meters from the Highway 10 bridge over the Euphrates, four
dark spots are splayed against one corner of a large building, with three
similar spots at the other corner.

"One's lying down," Neumann says. "They're manning a crew-served weapon
pointed at the bridge. Tell Regimental Combat Team-1 we have targets for
Basher."

The combat team agrees with Neumann's assessment that it's a job for
Basher, the four-engine Air Force AC-130 circling above the city. With its
105mm howitzer cannon, 40mm cannons and 20mm rotary cannons, the gunship is
a flying artillery platform. Daniels types in a grid location for the
building, accurate within a few meters. Regiment sends a one-line response:
Basher on the way.

A minute goes by. The four dark spots crouch in the shadows. On the screen
a black ball hits the edge of the building; black chunks go flying. Another
black ball hits the target, and then another and another, enveloping the
spots. Using an infrared spotlight to illuminate the insurgents, Basher's
pilot is pounding away with 105mm artillery shells. Gray smoke rises from
the scene.

"Watch for leakers," Neumann says. "There's one now, heading north. Stay
with him." A black spot breaks out of the smoke. Against the background
of the macadam on the street, the man's silhouette stands out plainly. He
runs with the speed of a sprinter.

"Ten to one he's headed for the mosque up the street," Neumann says.

Parchman watches the runner climb a wall. "He made it. Can't hit him there."

While Basher moves on to another target, the Pioneer circles to assess
damage to the building. A large door in the rear slides open, and two men
run around the side of the building. They quickly return, dragging a body.
The Marines watch as the scene is repeated several times. "Are they
carrying a heavy weapon or a body part?" a Marine asks.

"Don't know," Parchman says. "We confirm four down. Mark this as a safe
house. We'll come back later for a re-look."

The next day, with Maj. Kelly "Maddog" Ramshur on watch as mission
commander, the Pioneer circles al Shu-hada, a district the Marines have
dubbed Queens. The lair of criminal gangs, terrorists and jihadists, Queens
is a warren of drab concrete houses lining dirt roads, with scant
vegetation. For most of the day, the Watchdogs see few lucrative targets.

In mid-afternoon, though, the Pioneer's camera records a series of red
flashes from a courtyard, which instantly catches the Marines' attention.
The half-completed building looks like a small soccer stadium, with a wall
several stories high enclosing an oval courtyard. A single mortar tube in
the courtyard points north toward Camp Fallujah, the sprawling command and
logistics hub of the coalition operation. Every 10 minutes or so, three
insurgents sprint from a house a few hundred meters north of the building
and disappear under the eaves of the courtyard wall. A few minutes later,
they dash into the courtyard. Each man drops a round down the tube and
sprints back to the house. The mortar attack breaks the usual
shoot-and-scoot pattern seen during the Fallujah engagement. This mortar
crew is staying and fighting. After six rounds explode around Camp
Fallujah, Ramshur takes a phone call from the Army
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division--the Blackjack Brigade.

"Air's not available," Ramshur says to his crew. "Arty has the target." The
Marines murmur. Artillery is an area-fire weapon, not a precision
instrument. But it is all that is immediately available.

Saliba places the crosshairs of the Pioneer's optical camera on the mortar
tube and reads off the
10-digit grid on the screen. The coordinates are sent to theTactical Fusion
Center and the Blackjack Brigade. After several minutes, Ramshur finally
says, "Shot out." The Marines crane forward to watch the explosion from a
155mm artillery shell fired from nearly 3 miles away. When a large gray
puff pops up a football field away from the tube, the crew measures the
miss distance and types in: Add one hundred, right fifty. That is, fire the
shell 100 meters farther and 50 meters to the right. Several minutes later,
a large cloud of dirt erupts inside the courtyard.

The crew's next command: Fire for effect. A few minutes later, two bright
orange flashes light up the courtyard, with a third about 100 meters to the
south. When the smoke clears, the tube is still standing. The next volley
delivers the same result--close but not effective. No secondary explosions.
No visible damage to the tube.

During the ensuing lull, the three insurgents run from the safe house, pick
up three mortar rounds, drop them down the tube and run back to the house.

"You wouldn't catch me playing dodge with 155s," one of the Watchdogs says.

Ramshur calls the Blackjack Brigade Intelligence Center, then tells his
crew, "We're getting Predator."

Launched from a site near Baghdad, the Predator is
13 ft. longer than the Pioneer and packs a Hellfire missile with an
18-pound warhead. The most remarkable aspect of the Predator deployment is
that a crew at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada--7500 miles away--is guiding
the UAV. A few weeks earlier, the Watchdogs helped a Predator destroy a
moving pickup with a mounted machine gun--one robot leading another robot
to the target.

"Break, break," Ramshur says. "Predator's been diverted. Anvil has the
mission. Stand by for talk on."

Anvil is the call sign for a flight of two Marine AV-8B Harrier jets flying
at 19,000 ft. Meanwhile, the insurgents make another round trip sprint.
Twelve rounds have been launched at Camp Fallujah--each one with the
potential to add to coalition casualties. The brass wants the duel to end.

"What do you think, guys?" asks Ramshur. "The tube or the house?"

"House!" chorus the Marines.

The house where the insurgents are hiding between rounds has a dome roof, a
walled courtyard and an overhang at the front door, where a sentry is
posted. Once the Harriers close in, Ramshur radios the details of the
house's location to a Forward Air Controller, who lines up the jets.

"The house is the first one north of the vacant lot on the northeast
corner," Ramshur says. "Has a dome roof. Wait--it's where that truck is.
"Got it?"

A truck pulls up to the house and five men walk inside, carrying something
in their arms.

"Supper time," says Sgt. Roneil Sampson, an imagery analyst. "They're
changing shifts. Domino's delivery."

Ramshur reads a secure text message: Air is cleared hot. Impact is less
than a minute away. The courtyard door opens. A man walks to the truck and
slowly drives off. "Boot muj sent out to get the Coke," says one Marine.
"Luckiest bastard on the planet." Both video screens flash bright white, as
if a fuse has blown. When the picture comes back into focus, the Marines
see that the center of the roof is now a huge black hole.

"Now that's what I call a shack," Ramshur says. "Great job,
Watchdogs. Great job."
_________________
"Old Breed, New Breed, There's not a DAMM bit of
difference so long as it's the MARINE Breed"
- Lt. Gen Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller

Semper fi
uuurah
Carry On!!

[gocars]

Fascinating reading material.

I can remember back in '68 when there were only 2 starlite scopes for the entire division; the higher-up REMF's were the ones who got to play with the scopes and those of us in the field never got the opportunity to use them for their intended purpose.

We also had sensors that were dropped from Gooney Birds and their output would be monitored outside of the AO. I can remember getting relayed messages that had come over a series of PRC-25's that a sensor had been activated. By the time my RTO got the message, well over 2 hours had elapsed. All we could do was to contact the Redlegs and ask them to fire some HE 3 or 4 clicks down the trail from the sensor in the hopes of hitting whomever triggered the damn thing.

Today's technology is absolutely incredible!

gocars
101st Airborne
'Nam 67-70
U.S. Army Rangers Lead the Way!

[gocars]

lthrneck:

A jarhead friend of mine sent me this....thought you might get a kick out of it!

YOU MIGHT BE A JARHEAD IF.........

You've ever used the term "Oohrah" in any context other than sarcasm
Your dream home is base housing
You've ever rolled pennies to buy beer on a weeknight
You've ever sold blood to buy beer
You've ever financed a tattoo
You met your wife at a strip joint
Your kid has a high & tight
You still have your full basic issue
Your boot polish doesn't come out of a bottle
Your cammies have more starch than your potatoes
You refer to McDonald's food as "chow"
You've ever read your 'Battle Skills' book for fun
You still know all your General Orders
You refer to E-s as "My PFC," or "Young Devil Dog"
You call your friends "Devil Dog"
You think your military training is seriously worth college credit
Your picture is outside the Career Planner's office
You have whitewalls on your head, but not your car
You consider going to The Roadhouse a night on the town
You still know the words to the "Marine's Hymn"
You say things are 'good to go,' or 'outstanding'
Your favorite game is Spades
You still imitate your drill instructors
You call cadence to yourself
You get your haircut at the -Day Store
You've ever given a period of instruction
You've ever "locked on" anybody
You use Aqua Velva aftershave
You iron your coveralls
You have a dog named "Chesty"
You have a blues cover in the back window of your car
You've ever done anything for love of Corps
You display your rank on the windshield of your car
You press your cammies an hour after you get them from the cleaners
You have a subscription to 'Leatherneck Magazine'
You use the term "hard charger" on a subject other than batteries
You think your unit doesn't PT enough
You think Motrin cures things
You wear your dogtags to the beach
You still use any drill instructor cliches
You've ever been on a -day work detail picking up dead fish by hand out of a rancid lake under the hot August sun in Iwakuni (You know who you are. Stay strong my brothers)
All your underwear still has your laundry number on it
You stencil your name on your jeans
You refer to regular clothes as 'civvies'
You've ever ironed your sheets for field day
You get your hair cut once a week
You've ever worn out an ironing board
You hang your dirty laundry from the foot of your bed
More than half of your wardrobe was purchased at the PX
You "quarter-deck" your kids
You practice line training on your wife
You argue with people about whether Paris Island or San Diego was better
You refer to your SNCOIC as 'Daddy'
You use your seabag as luggage when you go on leave
You have a picture of the Commandant in your living room
You wear your wooly pully with Levis
You wear your all weather coat with regular clothes (or civvies)
The horn on your car plays the 'Marine Hymn'
Your picture is outside the PX
You've ever starved until dinner because you woke up too late to go to the chow hall
You have the misconception that you can kick someone's ass because they're in the Navy
If you've ever suggested that your unit goes on a hump
You've ever gone to a bar or dance club in your blues
You seriously think that your GI Bill will pay for your college education
You found CPL School motivating
You can be found in 'Shaboom's' or 'Texas Two Step' every weekend OR (WHISKEY RIVER)
You like 'Tun Tavern" Beer
You have a camouflage comforter on your bed
You keep MREs around just in case you get hungry
You go to the chow hall to meet women
You've ever had razor burn on your head
You signed the Chesty Puller stamp petition

gocars
101st Airborne
'Nam 67-70
U.S. Army Rangers Lead the Way!