RAF jets in Iraq

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Discussion

chuntington101

Original Poster:

5,733 posts

235 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Just seen some video footage of RAF aircraft dropping bombs in Iraq on the BBC. They hit a hiluex sized vechial and nothing else. A very presice hit indeed. Anyone know what the RAF are dropping that's that accurate?


Simpo Two

85,151 posts

264 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
No but how much did the missile cost that blew up the $2,000 pick-up?

A Spitfire could have one the same job.

steviejasp

1,646 posts

164 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Yes, true, but the emissions from that filthy V12 petrol engine would have been very bad for the ozone layer.

petemurphy

10,108 posts

182 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
have they actually thought of finding out where ISIS are buying all these shiny new 4x4's from?? maybe tell them to stop selling them?? wouldnt apaches be better and cheaper for this sort of thing or are they all on top gear?

0000

13,812 posts

190 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
petemurphy said:
have they actually thought of finding out where ISIS are buying all these shiny new 4x4's from?? maybe tell them to stop selling them??
Someone popped down the local dealer but apparently they're paying full price, no haggling. It's just not British.

petemurphy said:
wouldnt apaches be better and cheaper for this sort of thing or are they all on top gear?
Yes, that's it.


anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
No but how much did the missile cost that blew up the $2,000 pick-up?

A Spitfire could have one the same job.
Apparently, the Brimstone guided bomb/missile cost £175k a pop (or a drop/bang)!

And you need a £10M Tornado, with a £6M flight crew, and a £35k/hr air time cost to take out that Hilux..........

DuraAce

4,240 posts

159 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
petemurphy said:
have they actually thought of finding out where ISIS are buying all these shiny new 4x4's from?? maybe tell them to stop selling them?? wouldnt apaches be better and cheaper for this sort of thing or are they all on top gear?
Yes I imagine flying from Cyprus to Iraq in an Apache would be the ideal scenario. I'm surprised top brass haven't thought of it. Give the MOD a call to help them along.

petemurphy

10,108 posts

182 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
DuraAce said:
Yes I imagine flying from Cyprus to Iraq in an Apache would be the ideal scenario. I'm surprised top brass haven't thought of it. Give the MOD a call to help them along.
as iraq invited us to help couldnt they fly from there? sorry for not knowing the precise flight range like you u must be an interesting fellow.

petemurphy

10,108 posts

182 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
DuraAce said:
Yes I imagine flying from Cyprus to Iraq in an Apache would be the ideal scenario. I'm surprised top brass haven't thought of it. Give the MOD a call to help them along.
wow america can fly them all the way from the usa they must be amazing

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-is-sending-a...

DuraAce

4,240 posts

159 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Yes of course they 'could'. Just think of all the extra support that is required and the security implication of having people on the ground in Iraq. Cyprus is by far the best solution in the current situation, as is the Tornado.

Ginetta G15 Girl

3,220 posts

183 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
DuraAce said:
Yes I imagine flying from Cyprus to Iraq in an Apache would be the ideal scenario. I'm surprised top brass haven't thought of it. Give the MOD a call to help them along.
Given the level of MANPADS (as well as small arms) out there, including 'double digit' SAMS (eg SA 16) as well as Stingers, an Attack Helicopter is the last thing you'd want to use. As the Americans found out last time around Karbala.

IanMorewood

4,309 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Using Apache helicopters wouldn't offer much of a saving. Firstly you would need to base them locally, that would require you to deploy boots on the ground and in fair numbers, that would be politically bad news as well as pricey.

Add in the cost per hour to run the Apache (£46k) and your only saving grace is you can fire 30mm cannon shells at Toyota's instead of brimstone missiles.


V8Ford

2,675 posts

165 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
No but how much did the missile cost that blew up the $2,000 pick-up?

A Spitfire could have done the same job.
How wasteful. A hot air balloon would surely be cheaper, and the cost could be offset by charging some tourists to ride along on the mission.

Simpo Two

85,151 posts

264 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
DuraAce said:
Yes I imagine flying from Cyprus to Iraq in an Apache would be the ideal scenario. I'm surprised top brass haven't thought of it. Give the MOD a call to help them along.
Hmm, what we need is some kind of floating platform, like a small airbase, that floats at sea. And maybe it could have an engine so you could move it about? That would be really handy.



We'll let V8Ford float off in the wrong direction.

IanMorewood

4,309 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Hmm, what we need is some kind of floating platform, like a small airbase, that floats at sea. And maybe it could have an engine so you could move it about? That would be really handy.



We'll let V8Ford float off in the wrong direction.
You mean like Cyprus, pretty ideal position for supporting the Turks in Northern Iraq.

7mike

3,005 posts

192 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
Apparently, the Brimstone guided bomb/missile cost £175k a pop (or a drop/bang)!

And you need a £10M Tornado, with a £6M flight crew, and a £35k/hr air time cost to take out that Hilux..........
Pfff, I watched all those Top Gear episodes that implied the Hilux was bomb proof, just shows what a load of bks that program is hehe

jogon

2,971 posts

157 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Article on it here..

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/10/...

£150k anti tank missile for a jeep seems a little much but never mind, job done.

Ian Lancs

1,126 posts

165 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
jogon said:
Article on it here..

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/10/...

£150k anti tank missile for a jeep seems a little much but never mind, job done.
Wouldn't take too much from that article - few glaring errors in it....

Simpo Two

85,151 posts

264 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
IanMorewood said:
You mean like Cyprus, pretty ideal position for supporting the Turks in Northern Iraq.
I understood from another poster than Cyprus was too far away for helicopter operations. But whatever, it seems an awful waste of resources using RAF jets to attack pick-ups. I'm sure the operation is more for PR than military sense, but agree it is good training/target practice smile

Tango13

8,398 posts

175 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
Apparently, the Brimstone guided bomb/missile cost £175k a pop (or a drop/bang)!

And you need a £10M Tornado, with a £6M flight crew, and a £35k/hr air time cost to take out that Hilux..........
You're making the common assumption that the military value of a target is proportional to its' cash value.

Robert McNamara also assumed that wars could be fought on Dollars & Cents basis.

As somebody once said, 'Assumption is the mother of all fk-ups'