Apache attack helicopters deployed to protect U.S. Embassy in Baghdad
Apache attack helicopters deployed to protect U.S. Embassy in Baghdad
http://media.washtimes.com/media/ima...29f166a08c6acbTwo AH-64D Apache attack helicopters from 1st “Attack” Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, taxi back to their parking spots after mission Aug. 15 at Camp Taji, Iraq. The Attack battalion supports ground troops through reconnaissance and aerial weaponry. The Apache crews of 1st ACB have disrupted numerous roadside bomb indirect fire attacks aimed at Iraqi civilians and coalition forces throughout the Baghdad area of operations. (U.S. Army photo by CW4 Daniel McClinton, 1-227th, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs)
By Douglas Ernst
The Washington Times
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The Obama administration plans on having a U.S. presence in Iraq of roughly 1,000 troops and advisers to protect its embassy in Baghdad, but deployed personnel won’t lack firepower — Apache helicopters will be at their disposal.Rear Adm. John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, announced Tuesday that in addition to the Apaches, unarmed surveillance drones will help U.S. personnel and Iraqis gather intelligence on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Agence France Presse reported.
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Apache helicopters are capable of firing Hellfire missiles and 70 mm rockets. The aircraft includes a 30mm automatic cannon with up to 1,200 high-explosive, dual-purpose ammunition rounds.
Aerospace company Boeing, which manufactures the aircraft, also says that the radar-equipped AH-64D Apache Longbow can classify and prioritize up to 128 targets in less than a minute.Currently there are about 475 U.S. military personnel deployed to Iraq for security purposes, AFP reported. Adm. Kirby said that the Obama administration has approved sending up to 300 more military advisers to augment the 180 currently in Iraq.
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