U.S. Attack Aviation Kills Three IED Planters

By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq –The pilots of an AH-64 Apache helicopter, killed three insurgents after they attempted to place an improvised explosive device on a route near Al Bawi, a small village along the Tigris River near Salman Pak, Nov. 3.

After an unmanned aerial vehicle recorded three insurgents with explosives, pilots from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, were called in to follow the insurgents and the individuals who were acting as lookouts further down the road.

The pilots followed the insurgents to a residence and observed them loading a pickup truck with IED making materials. The insurgents then returned to the road, and the pilots launched a Hellfire rocket, destroying the vehicle and killing the insurgents.

Capt. Troy Gilbert, from Houston, the battle captain for 3-1 Avn. Regt., explained that unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters do not operate in the same area at the same time.

“It’s sort of like having two sets of eyes on a bigger area,” said Gilbert. “This was a classic case of manned, unmanned teaming. They spotted it and handed it off to us and we were able to engage.”

Maj. David Fivecoat, from Delaware, Ohio, the operations officer for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, believes that 1-3 Avn. Regt. is playing a key role in the success the 3rd BCT is having in places like Al Bawi.

“The 24-hour a day presence of attack aviation has insurgents looking over their shoulders anytime they operate,” said Fivecoat. “The elimination of three IED emplacers increases the security of the Bawi residents.”

Capt. Steve Schmidt, from Sunnyvale, Calif., the targeting officer for the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, which controls the battlespace that includes Salman Pak and the surrounding areas, was confident that the elimination of the three extremists will help secure the Bawi area, but emphasized that the 3rd BCT and coalition forces will continue to help the citizens there.

“Coalition forces will continue to conduct operations in the Bawi area to restore order and improve the situation of the local citizens,” he explained.

Capt. Josh Powers, from Atlanta, the assistant operations officer for 1-15 Inf. Regt., explained that with helicopters and UAVs coalition forces have a huge surveillance advantage over their enemy. It is an advantage that they will continue to use to protect the security forces operating in Bawi.

“Through continued surveillance of the Bawi area, we are able to target any individuals who intend harm on local Iraqis, Iraqi security forces or coalition forces,” said Powers.

Fivecoat was pleased with the result of the operation and believes it bodes well for future operations in Bawi.

“Future operations in Bawi will build on this and limit the ability of al-Qaida to operate in the area,” he explained.

The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March. The 1-3 Avn. is assigned to the Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, from Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.