UK Apache - How Is It Doing In Afghanistan?

[MaroonMan4]

Hi,

Just thought I would ask the question as there appears to be very little in the press. I am not looking for anything classified or trying to start an AH/Army slagging debate, just genuinely interested in how the lads (and lasses?) are getting on out there, are they enjoying it and has the long wait and many years training been worth it?

Anyone got any news or update.

MM4

[lukeylad]

well the apache aint been used against the enemy yet as far as i know but they did destroy a french APC.

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

"well the apache aint been used against the enemy yet as far as i know but they did destroy a french APC."

Which prodeuced a superb thread on here that some humourless so and so deleted:}

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[Melchett01]

well the apache aint been used against the enemy yet as far as i know but they did destroy a french APC.

Surely that counts as an enemy kill? From what I heard, the crew abandoned their vehicle after they lost reverse gear :E

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Yipee and were off again, cheese eating surrender monkeys:p

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[NoseGunner]

How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? etc etc etc
Shall we just jump to the wild insult level??

[floppyjock]

First time the Longbow has been used against the French in about 600 years.

Floppy:ok:

[nick0021]

Always broken - i think i found a picture of who your talking about !


http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/H/R/french_surrendermonkey.jpg


:} .... everybody loves a bit of frog bashing !! especially after a night on the drink and an England victory !

All spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced !

[Glass Half Empty]

Give the Frog destroyers a medal!

[Pureteenlard]

All very well but in reality I know who I'd rather have on the ground with me given a choice between french and spam infantry . . .

[Maple 01]

Too right, Umcle Sam's boys every time, you can understand them (mostly) beg food off them amd organise outragous kit swaps.

[camlobe]

Don't know how they are doing out in Afganistan but we had 3 AAC up here last week with three of their charges for a training deployment. Choppers looked good. Crews like their steeds. Rest of the support crew didn't smile much. Probably thinking of their impending move to hot, mountainous, unfriendly foriegn places.

[the funky munky]

From what I can gather the AH sent to Afghanistan have had their vunder radar removed to save weight and improve hot and high peformance.
So just why did we buy all longbow AH then when we could have gone down the same route as the Dutch and bought a more (cost) effective system with a mix of A and D models.
Oh yeah cause the Brigadier, MOD squad and Wastelands were fixated on the shiny expensive option.:mad:

[HEDP]

Much as I hate to correct you but the Dutch have no A models as they are all D models but minus the radar, as for UK radar, you cut your cloth to suit the environment, more bombs and bullets or a radar, eveyone will have a different opinion I guess, tactics and all that,

Regards

HEDP

[Melchett01]

From what I can gather the AH sent to Afghanistan have had their vunder radar removed to save weight and improve hot and high peformance

I may be wrong here, so feel free to correct me, but I asked about the same thing earlier in the year and was given the following explanation.

Yes they have taken the radome off the top to improve H+H performance. However, the radome is only part of the Longbow upgrade from the earlier platforms. The cabs that have gone out to 'stan are still Longbow versions.

[Jeep]

Funky,

The dutch were leased some A models once they decided to purchase the Apache. They then trained on them, to gain experience before their machines were delivered.

With hindsight, that was a most clever option.

Their solution to the IR missile threat is also most clever. Capability v cost, really quite ingenious.

I wonder if they went for the US planning station option, or do they use the british mission planning software. If they chose right on that one, then they are pure genius.

Having used both, I know which one i prefer.

Back to the original thread: I bet our chaps are doing a great job. Very proud of them, keep up the good work. Hoah.

Off the BBC website tonight:

The incident took place in Sangeen, a small town taken from Taleban control earlier this year by Afghan security forces backed by US air power.

Afghan sources said several Taleban soldiers were killed in the fighting.

British Apache helicopter gunships were called in to support the troops.

[Low Ball]

MM4,

You have to be up early to catch the radio 4 news. Just tiny snippets but there if you listen hard.

Besides the French APCs there have been 2 other mentions mostly in support of ground operations when the suppressive fire from the cannon was more than most welcome. The most recent one was this morning.

LB

[wokawoka]

The Apache are doing are stirling job out there however they have still got their radars fitted. Don't know where you read they had removed but it is wrong.
We enjoy working with them, they provide an enormous amount of support. Shame some previous det pushed the army/RAF banter too far.:ugh: