British Chinook helicopter deliberately destroyed in Afghani

[Rockville]

A British Chinook helicopter was deliberately destroyed by ISAF Forces at 1605 local time having sustained damage on landing approximately 10km East of Sangin at 0530 this morning, Sunday 30 August 2009.

In addition to four crew members, the helicopter was carrying 15 soldiers from 2 RIFLES Battlegroup who were being inserted into the area as part of an ongoing security operation.
The crew and passengers were unharmed.

The aircraft is believed to have suffered a 'hard landing' and sustained damage to the undercarriage, nose and front rotor which subsequently made it unflyable.
The troops continued with the operation and the crew were extracted by one of the two other Chinooks also on the operation.

Despite all options being investigated, due to the location and the environment, the decision was taken that the aircraft could not safely be recovered and so it was subsequently destroyed by military personnel using explosives.

The cause of the incident is under investigation however there is no evidence to suggest that it was caused by enemy action.

Options for replacement of this aircraft are being considered and in the meantime assets from the joint ISAF helicopter force will be made available to ensure there is no loss of operational effectiveness.

MODUK, 30 Aug 09

[Hurricane]

-> How come a hard landing can be seen as a deliberately destroying ?? Misjudging a landing is very common in that part of the world due to the hard conditions ....

Adios, H

[Frank van Hemert]

it means that it will be too costly and dangerous to dismantle the Chinook and fly it back with a different Chinook.
an ideal way for us spotters to see new Chinooks...as it is going fast down with those British Chinooks.

Regards
Frank

[jp 74]

How come a hard landing can be seen as a deliberately destroying ?? Misjudging a landing is very common in that part of the world due to the hard conditions ....

The landing didn't destroy the helo, the soldiers did, because it was not safe to recover!
Anyway, anouther new chinook for the spotters!!!

[kiwi]

Same thing that happened to the D-104

[Le Addeur noir]

Apparently damage included the loss of a rotor blade.

Bad month for the RAF Chinook fleet.At least no casualties.

[Rockville]

Lost Chopper 'Brought Down By Taliban'

A defence minister has confirmed to Sky News that a British helicopter lost in Helmand last month was brought down by the Taliban.
The RAF has confirmed that it was the first time an RAF Chinook has been brought down by enemy fire in 27 years of service.
One of the twin rotor's two engines was knocked out by a shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) as the aircraft flew low over Kajaki at night on August 19.
With one engine ablaze, and a crewman wounded by shrapnel, the pilots were able to continue flying and landed over a mile away.
They were rescued and the aircraft destroyed on the ground by air strike to prevent it falling into enemy hands.
Equipment minister Quentin Davies said only new, more powerful engines trial-fitted to the downed aircraft allowed it to limp back.
"We had a Chinook attacked, struck by an RPG. The aircraft was able to fly two kilometres out of harm's way only because we'd fitted new engines," he told Sky News.
RPGs, a favourite weapon of the Taliban, are one of the helicopter crews' most feared threats.
"Most missions you'll come under fire. It's happened to me," said Flight Lieutenant Eleanor Lodge, a Chinook pilot with four tours of Afghanistan to her credit.
"With RPGs you don't know you've been targeted until you see the flash of the explosion nearby."
The new power plants are part of a £400m programme to improve the lifting capacity of the Chinook fleet.
The first will not be operational in Afghanistan until 2011.

Sky News, 7:49pm UK, Thursday September 24, 2009