"Greetings From Iraq ".... and say hello to my little friend! R2D2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "Greetings From Iraq ".... and say hello to my little friend! R2D2

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:29:24 AM EDT

a friend from another form posted this from the sand box, looks like the CWIS is working well :)

Still alive and kickin.

It's wierd being here, and then watching the news. I've quit with both CNN and FOX as they don't really seem to give a rats *** about:
a) anything but how many people got blown up over here today
b) anything that happens outside Bahgdad (unless choice a applies)

Things have been interesting since the Mosque got blown up, but here dead center between Bahgdad, Sumarra and Fallujah it's not really that different.

There were a few protests/marches the day of and day after the bombing, but those have stopped. They were peacefull (except for the locals continued fascination with firing weapons into the air), and they actually made sure to ask us (us being the local shiek and officials) if they could hold them. Admitedly they probably did that out of self preservation, but none the less the did seek "official" permission.

Insurgent activity is still the same levels it was, and has been, and probably will be. 3-4 IED's placed every night, about every 6th night we miss one and it goes off. Every few days a mortar or rocket launched at the base. Fortunately Maigrey and his fellow contractors have installed the anti-ballistic system, and except for ****ting ones pants when the vulcan goes off, we've not had an impact on base ina few weeks.

Yet you turn on the news after you return to base and see nothing except how "our of control" the country is. There are parts that are still pretty bad, but by and large, the Iraqis have realized that the fastest way to get us out is to quit blowing us (and each other up). That was before the Mosque. Since it got blown, the extremists on both sides have come out to play, but even they are starting to trend down.

The Iraqi Army in my sector is actually pretty good. They are much better trained and prepared compared to what they were when I left here in 2004. My unit is in roughly the same Area we were in 2003-2004, so the IA units we deal with are the same. They actually look professional, and a few of the battalions are able to operate on their own. The rest will be able to shortly. The news never seems to show that though.

Ah well, just thought I'd check in and semi-rant. 9 more months to go.

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:32:41 AM EDT

[#1]

this was posted by another guy thats with him at the same base and is the contractor setting up the CWIS's for them..

Actually, I think we have 4 Phalanx set up around this base.

Its pretty simple really. The Radar sites pick up incoming rounds, and sent the data to our system which tracks the speed, angle and trajectory of the incoming round. With that data, we calculate the point of origin and the point of impact. Our system sets off the alarms in the area around the point of impact letting everyone know that they have about 10 seconds to get to cover. The point of origin is great because it allows for accurate return fire (in case the Hagee's stick around to get dead).

Here on Balad, that information from our system is then fed into the Phalanx guns, who are set up to fire a huge volley into the path of the incoming round.

My work is just on the sense and warn portion of the system, so I don't have anything really to do with the Phalanx. Plus, I don't imagine we'll have many of them on other bases.

Looks like we'll be here on Balad until begining of April. Looks like lots of boredom in my future.
__________________

this is the unitairdefense.bliss.army.mil/adamag/2006/Janaury%202006/C-RAM.htm

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:33:33 AM EDT

[#2]

Keep your head down brother.

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:37:26 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
a friend from another form posted this from the sand box, looks like the CWIS is working well :)

Still alive and kickin.

It's wierd being here, and then watching the news. I've quit with both CNN and FOX as they don't really seem to give a rats *** about:
a) anything but how many people got blown up over here today
b) anything that happens outside Bahgdad (unless choice a applies)

Things have been interesting since the Mosque got blown up, but here dead center between Bahgdad, Sumarra and Fallujah it's not really that different.

There were a few protests/marches the day of and day after the bombing, but those have stopped. They were peacefull (except for the locals continued fascination with firing weapons into the air), and they actually made sure to ask us (us being the local shiek and officials) if they could hold them. Admitedly they probably did that out of self preservation, but none the less the did seek "official" permission.

Insurgent activity is still the same levels it was, and has been, and probably will be. 3-4 IED's placed every night, about every 6th night we miss one and it goes off. Every few days a mortar or rocket launched at the base. Fortunately Maigrey and his fellow contractors have installed the anti-ballistic system, and except for ****ting ones pants when the vulcan goes off, we've not had an impact on base ina few weeks.

Yet you turn on the news after you return to base and see nothing except how "our of control" the country is. There are parts that are still pretty bad, but by and large, the Iraqis have realized that the fastest way to get us out is to quit blowing us (and each other up). That was before the Mosque. Since it got blown, the extremists on both sides have come out to play, but even they are starting to trend down.

The Iraqi Army in my sector is actually pretty good. They are much better trained and prepared compared to what they were when I left here in 2004. My unit is in roughly the same Area we were in 2003-2004, so the IA units we deal with are the same. They actually look professional, and a few of the battalions are able to operate on their own. The rest will be able to shortly. The news never seems to show that though.

Ah well, just thought I'd check in and semi-rant. 9 more months to go.

Aww....*tear*....they are finally starting to get what I've been saying for 2years now.

~~And where is your friend at?~~

If you ever read Yahoo News when something blows up, they almost ALWAYS put "Baghdad" as the location. When those choppers went down last month, 3/4 of the articles said "Baghdad" in the beginning. They then later changed to like "Samarra" and "Karbala", etc.....
Or they'll change to like, "30miles north of Baghdad...."
It seems like they dont think anyone knows any cities besides "Baghdad".

That is freaking awesome. 4 vulcans surrounding Balad.

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:41:57 AM EDT

[#4]

more from him..

For those with google earth, Anaconda is not hard to find. Search for Balad, Iraq, then look for the big AF to the E by the river.

The phalanx can take out 155mm in flight (was tested prior to us deploying), though, we're not expecting anything near that big, as 155mm requires a bit of set up time, and is a pain to conceal.

Not sure what the rate of fire is, but when one fires, it looks like a laser beam the tracers come out so fast. I got caught under one when it shot the other day, took almost 4 hours for my ears to quit ringing, the noise is something else as well.

Posted: 3/1/2006 7:55:08 AM EDT

[#5]

IIRC, the Vulcan/Phalanx is something like 4000-6000rds/min?

Posted: 3/1/2006 10:45:54 AM EDT

[#6]

m61 20mm is nominal 6000 with a "slow" setting of 4000. don't know the specifics of this particular config.

Posted: 3/1/2006 4:15:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
m61 20mm is nominal 6000 with a "slow" setting of 4000. don't know the specifics of this particular config.

As I understand it, the slow 4000 setting is generally reserved for ground targets and 6000 for air, since you have a smaller opportunity to hit an aerial target.

Posted: 3/1/2006 9:24:42 PM EDT

[#8]

I'm desperate to get into contact with someone who's wandering around outside the base in the local villages. Very curious to know how our friends in the area are doing.

NTM

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "Greetings From Iraq ".... and say hello to my little friend! R2D2

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