Scary facts about topical news items.

WoD · 04 March, 2003, 08:01:59 PM

Didn't I read somewhere that they have painted white crosses on the top of some vehicles to help identify them as friendly.

Stupid and stupider....

1. You'll never see them from that height, and..

2. Surely the other side would just paint the white cross on as well.

Or did I dream it? You can't make this shit up sometimes.

Art · 04 March, 2003, 08:19:32 PM

I think i this war its not really assumed that the opposition will ever be able to fire back, especially not from a position where they can see the top of a vehicle.

W. R. Logan · 04 March, 2003, 08:24:30 PM

white crosses, orange flags, or union jacks. Spend ?1,500,000 on a tank, train 4 guys over a period of 1 to 6 years, paint the tank desert colours, ensure they carry desert camoflague nets then just to make sure that they are crewed and kitted out to their best you put white crosses or flags on them.

La Placa Rifa,
W. R. Logan.

Proudhuff · 04 March, 2003, 08:43:15 PM

W. R. Logan. Re 'friendly fire' I stand corrected.

I'm sure we would all hate to see a return to the 'Tommy cookers' of the past due to crap vehicle recognition, Its just I'd heard of British Crews last time sticking a big Union flag on the tank just to help... Needless to say the Jocks confused everybody by using St Andrews crosses and Lion Rampnts!! Bless!

Midenpus

ukdane · 04 March, 2003, 08:59:31 PM

There was also some fantastic news about the Apache Gunships a while back to, IIRC.

Something to do with the lack of training/funds for training- and gunship sitting unused at the (UK) tax payers expense.

W. R. Logan · 04 March, 2003, 09:14:07 PM

Thursday, 31 October, 2002
Army grounds Apache helicopters

The helicopter is based on a US model
Dozens of the Army's new ?3bn Apache attack helicopters will be kept in storage for four years due to a shortage of trained pilots, the government's spending watchdog has said.
Eleven of the 25 helicopters so far delivered - out of an order for 67 - have been mothballed in a move described as "wasteful" by the National Audit Office.
The NAO's report warned that although the Apaches were being delivered on time, a private finance initiative (PFI) deal to train aircrew was three years late.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Paul Keetch said: "It seems as though the procurement strategy for the Apache was 'buy first, think later'.
"For 11 top-of-the-range Apaches to sit in storage with no pilots to fly them until 2007 because of a bodged PFI delivery is wasteful."
Shadow defence secretary Bernard Jenkin blamed the government for the delays.
"The delays in this programme mean that we have more than an entire squadron of attack helicopters sitting in sheds. They should be flying by now," he said.
'Reduced effectiveness'
The delay means dozens of aircraft will have to be stored away in hangars while the completion date for the initial training programme for 144 pilots is put back from April 2004 to February 2007.
The NAO warned the delay in training also put in jeopardy the delivery of 16 more Apache helicopters, scheduled for February 2005.
That would reduce the Army's capability, it added.
Contractual problems over the supply of spares could mean the Apaches kept in storage may have to be used for parts.
The initial order for 67 Apaches, placed with Westland Helicopters in 1995, was said to offer the greatest advance in Army effectiveness since the tank.
A separate PFI agreement was reached with ATIL - a company jointly-owned by Westland and the Apache's US manufacturer Boeing - to cover the training.
But delivery of the hi-tech flight simulator was delayed by 17 months, pushing the start date for pilot training from 2001 to September 2003.
The length of the training courses was extended from 15 weeks to 26, because of the ?45m helicopter's complexity and the UK's poor weather conditions for flying.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38406000/jpg/_38406587_apache150_ap.jpg">

Art · 04 March, 2003, 09:15:59 PM

Wow. Martin Amis sure is cheery.

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,906836,00.html" target="_blank">"The palace of the end"

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:NBkWN5LQgBIC:www.bookspostfree.com/acatalog/Toilet%2520of%2520Doom%2520217529.jpg">

Proudhuff · 04 March, 2003, 09:23:08 PM

Ah, PFIs, I think they have changed the name of them again... isn't there a problem with ejected casing on these as well? you can only fire at left handed people if they are standing on the right side of the port gun, sorry I jest, but there is a problem if we ever train someone to use em, what who mentioned Westland and Hesiltine?

Yer Olde Sinic Midenpus