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Iraq-Jordan | ||
The Shadow Knows! | ||
2004-03-16 | ||
A cavalryman completes the five-count sequence and issues the command "launch, launch, launch." The tactical unmanned aerial vehicle is suddenly airborne moving at 70 knots. The crewmembers exchange grins, knowing the mission has started off on the right. They also know that when it ends, the information gathered on this mission might save lives. The UAV, otherwise known as a Shadow, is operated by Fort Lewis-based Troop D, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team). UAVs continuously provide real-time imagery for the area around Forward Operating Base Fulda.
The Shadows patrol a large area. They have identified possible threats to convoys, assisted in finding weapons and provided other information needed to keep the troops on the ground safe, said Larson. Since the inception of the Shadow, video has secured areas where scouts would have had to go before. The Shadow will continue to play a role in providing real-time video for the brigade to prevent the loss of lives for both Coalition forces and the local Iraqis. Troop D and the Shadow have been in Iraq since November as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom supporting Task Force Olympia in operations in northern and western Iraq. | ||
Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
#1 Force multiplier, indeed! I hear there are too few UAV's available (every Commander wants his own personal eye in the sky, of course!) and I hope production schedules are ultra-high-priority. Life savers, bad-guy identifiers, and eventually bad-guy killers on an everyday basis. This is the natural extension of Air Attack, Close Air Support, and stealthy area surveillance realtime intel generator. Awesome realization of yet another "wild-hair idea" from 10 (or whatever) yrs ago. Perhaps more such ideas will receive due consideration after many innovative successes such as these UAV's. Bravo Stryker Shadow Team! Thx, Chuck! |
Posted by: .com 2004-3-16 2:22:09 PM |