Night Stalker Down!

Reports are now that the Chinook that was shot down in Afghanistan was a MH‑47.

That means it was a Night Stalker bird. Our hearts and prayers go out to the comrades and families of those superb aviator warriors of the 160th SOAR and the SOF soldiers they were transporting.

A Night Stalker MH-47

First reports are that there were 17 on-board. All are thought to have perished after the aircraft went down at dusk in the rugged terrain in Kunar province near the Pakistani border. The aircraft was supporting Operation Red Wing, which continues the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and Mohammed Omar in that region.

Bad weather has precluded getting boots on the ground at the crash site and there has been no communications from the crash site, leading to the speculation there are no survivors.

Although the official version from the Pentagon is that this weapon that brought the Night Stalker bird down was a RPG, knowledgeable friends scoff at this. They point to the 9K310 Igla-1 SAM system (NATO reporting name SA-16 Gimlet) as a more likely culprit. They offer two bits of evidence in support of their position.

They say that despite the “Buy a SAM” program in Iraq that has netted 300 missiles, there are still thousands of SAMs unaccounted for. Estimates are there are still 5000-7000 shoulder launched SAMS in Iraq. These are mostly the older SA-7’s, but Iraq was known to own SA-16 and SA-18s (Grouse) too. They suggest the SA-16 attacked this aircraft because this particular aircraft had a full suite of Aviation Survivability Equipment (ASE) that routinely will defeat the SA-7.

They expect to see a more dangerous threat environment in Iraq as foreign fighters with SAM-skills enter the fight. They also suggest that SAM use has been underreported in the media, but the forces in Iraq are well aware of the increasing threat.

Reminding my source this was not Iraq they pointed out that as of 2002 over 5600 SAMs have been found in Afghanistan and there is no way the US has recovered most of the stockpiles there. They also suggest that by now much of Saddam’s missing munitions have made their way through the arms bazaars in Pakistan to reach the hands of al-Qaeda.

Night Stalker Prayer

Father of the heavens and the night; Stretch forth Your almighty arms to strengthen and protect us. Even as You gave Saint Michael, Your angelic warrior, power to do spiritual battle in the heavens, so give us power to command the darkened skies.

Guide and direct us in the defense of our country and in the maintenance of justice among the nations. Give us the courage to face all obstacles that might keep us from our time on target. Send Your holy Angels to protect the precious cargo which we carry; the elite Special Operations forces of the United States.

Sustain us in the hour of danger with the knowledge of Your mercy and return us safely home.

Watch over our families when we can not. May Your presence give them comfort, and Your love lend them the courage to face each day, confident in the knowledge that You will never leave them nor forsake them.

Protect them with Your unfailing mercy and grace. Grant that wherever we serve, we may be loyal to our proud heritage. Make us to choose the harder right over the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won. May we ever embody the principles upon which the Night Stalkers are founded and serve proudly with the memory of those who have gone before. Give us the courage to fight to win and the faith to die rather than quit.

Because, Night Stalkers Don’t Quit!

Open Post Thanks - Mudville Gazette