british army stratergy

[dannyday5821]

i watched an episode of that guy from eastenders in afghanistan the other night. They had i think, two FSG's ready to attack, they sneaked up on the taliban in the night, and were attacking in the morning. Tow groups on the hill, one group infiltrating down the valley.

Ross Kemp was saying how there is two guys firing on them from a bunker. Now what i dont understand is, the british army seemed to more firepower than seemed neccassary to kill just two guys!

They were using 50 cals and javalines to suppress em, then got the US airforce to bomb it.

I dont know much about how the army works, but to kill two people...this is a little OTT...isnt it?

Im not dissing the army, im just curious before anyone says anything. respect to those guys there, ill be honest, i dont think i could do it...

[sense4all]

I think that Ninja are lower carbon footprint and better vfm too. lol.
I have a forces family , so I would never knock the troops either. I do think that people should be given the proper kit for the environment - seeing as they get naff all wages to be there.

[Toureman]

If someone is trying to kill you you use all the firepower that is available to you to kill them first !!!!!!!!!

[good_egg]

the taliban seem pretty switched on to me, and for just two of them to engage a british patrol is either incredibly foolhardy or more likely, an attempt to draw them into an ambush. With american fighters at 5 minutes call, i know which choice id make.

[R1Geezer]

don't be a plonker!

If you can take them out with no risk then do.

Do you think they should have stormed them manually and had 2 on 2 just to make it "fair"?? derrr

[R1Geezer]

However I think I would have called in an RAF jet, bl00dy septics may well bomb the wrong guys!

[4GS]

.Suppressive fire is used to keep the enemies heads down while the other group gets into position in readiness to assault the enemy trenches with rifles grenades and bayonet. The amount of suppressive fire used is down to the commander on the ground at that time. At the last moment, and at a pre-arranged signal the 'friendly forces will 'switch fire' to the next nearest target before the assault goes in to kill the enemy.

[4GS]

BTW
Answerbank has a new 'Military sub-section' in 'Society & Culture' where a few of us ex service dudes are on call to answer this sort of question

[good_egg]

i think in one of the following episodes, the american plane does just that! and 3 royal anglian soldiers are killed.

[gonzo00]

it's all because british snipers are crap! nere in ni. an ira member..just some bloke with minimal training managed to hit a british soldier in the neck at a range of 1.5 miles using a 50.cal rifle from the back of an old ford sierra. (my respects to the soldiers family,by the way)..i'm not supporting the terrorists who did this but you would think that situations like the one described in the question above could be resolved by a well trained british sniper.