Question about downed Apache Helicopter

Factual Questions
1

This article raised a question for me. Apparently the helo is intact, so what is the army going to do? Will they hunt it down and blow it up? I would imagine it’s some pretty hi-tech stuff they would want to keep out of enemy hands. What about downed aircraft in general? Any sort of protocall for this situation?

I hope the airmen make it out ok.

Thanks

2

It is standard procedure for valuable equipment to be destroyed so that it does not fall into the hands of the enemy. They did that repeatedly in Afghanistan when several choppers fell in enemy territory. Chances are the US military know where it is and based on the photos provided by the Iraqis, no form of disassemply has taken place. They probably have a sortie planned to take out the apache if they determine it cannot be recaptured and flown out.

3

The protocol is to destroy it. Bomb the crap out of it before the enemy can take it apart and study the bits and pieces.

But I doubt the technology is all that useful to the Iraqis. I don’t think there’s anything especially cutting edge.

Maps that would allow them to understand the US grid system would be very dangerous. So if the intercept something that says, “Bomb the building in sector D42”, they’d know where an attack was coming. But military communicationss are scrambled. They might also get some descrambling equipment from the chopper, but as I understand it they’d have to know the correct settings to make it useful.

4

Thanks.

5

They sent rockets at it…but I don’t think they were successful.

6

[hijack]
This is about as conspiracy as I get, but I’ve always wondered about the timing of the stealth lost in the Balkans, and the subsequent bombing of the Chinese embassy. The slavs weren’t in any position to learn from the aircraft, but I bet the chinese sure as shit wanted a peak. It seems to me one of those little bits of diplomacy where neither side admitted the truth, but they both knew exactly what it was.
[/hijack]

I suspect the Iraqies are shopping it around as we speak. Has anybody checked eBay?

7

U.S. Confirms Downed Helicopter Destroyed. No details though.