2003 attack on Karbala

Background

The U.S. sought to continue its shock and awe campaign by crippling the elite Medina Republican Guard division, thus demoralizing the enemy.

In the aftermath of the Gulf War, the Iraqis learned from the no fly zones over their country. The threat of small arms fire from Iraqi soldiers was gravely underestimated by the U.S. attack helicopters participating in the attack.

Difficulties

The AH-64 Apache helicopters of the U.S. Army's 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment, faced several problems before the operation. The terrain around Baghdad was not desert, but urban sprawl. Experience from the Battle of Mogadishu of 1993 showed that helicopters are vulnerable over urban areas. Intelligence was inadequate. The information on the enemy's disposition was sketchy, forcing the helicopters to search the target area themselves. Some targets, including 30 T-72 tanks, were not present on the battlefield.

An accelerated timetable caused coordination issues. The Third Infantry Division moved ahead of schedule, causing the mission to be pulled in 24 hours. Suppression of enemy air defences occurred in accordance with the accelerated schedule even though the Apaches were behind schedule. The Apaches arrived only after a three-hour delay. The fighter-bombers had left the area by then and the helicopters were without support. The three hour interval allowed Iraqi air defences to recover.

Engagement

The 31 AH-64 Apaches of the 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment took off from Tactical Assembly Area Vicksburg, which was inside Objective Rams. One Apache crashed immediately after takeoff when its pilot became disoriented. When the Apaches turned north toward Karbala, signals intelligence picked up over 50 Iraqi cell phone calls alerting the Iraqi forward units of their approach. As the helicopters came within range, the Iraqis signaled their troops to open fire by turning off the city's power grid for several seconds. Ground troops then opened up with a barrage of PKM, NSV, ZU-23-2, and AZP S-60 fire.

Lieutenant Jason King, gunner of Apache "Palerider 1-6", was hit by AKM fire in the neck and suffered a severe hemorrhage, but he never lost consciousness. He was later evacuated to Germany for surgery and returned to his unit a few weeks later. The helicopters scattered in search of the Medina Division, but were hampered by poor intelligence.

Apache "Vampire 1-2", flown by Warrant Officers David S. Williams and Ronald D. Young Jr., was forced down into a marsh after gunfire severed its hydraulics. Its radio was also hit, preventing communication with the other helicopters. Attempting to flee the crash scene, both men swam down a canal, but were captured by armed civilians. The Iraqi government would later show the helicopter on TV and claim that it had been shot down by a farmer with a Brno rifle; however due to the high volume of anti-aircraft fire and the armor of the Apache, it is unlikely that a bolt-action rifle was responsible.

The Apaches turned back for Tactical Assembly Area Vicksburg after a half-hour of combat. Most were without functioning navigation equipment. At least two narrowly avoided a mid-air collision. with cannon fire, RPGs, and small-arms all emanating from camouflaged fire teams.

Aftermath

Of the 29 returning Apaches, all but one suffered serious damage. On average, each Apache had 15-20 bullet holes. One Apache took 29 hits. Sixteen main rotor blades, six tail blades, six engines, and five drive shafts were damaged beyond repair. In one squadron only a single helicopter was fit to fly. It took a month until the 11th Regiment was ready to fight again. The casualties sustained by the Apaches induced a change of tactics by placing significant restrictions on their use. Attack helicopters would henceforth be used to reveal the location of enemy troops, allowing them to be destroyed by artillery and air strikes.

Thomas E. White, the U.S. Secretary of the Army, stated, "we were very fortunate we didn't lose more aircraft."

References

Bibliography

• Atkinson, Rick (2008). In the Company of Soldiers. Paw Prints.
• Bernstein, Jonathan (2005). AH-64 Apache Units of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Osprey Publishing.

References

1. Allied Participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom by Stephe Carney
2. (24 March 2003). "U.S. Apache Pilots Taken Prisoner". CNN.
3. Bernstein, p. 51
4. (2003-03-25). "Iraq shows off Apache crew". BBC News.
5. (25 March 2003). "Downed Apache Blown Up To Keep Secrets From Iraq". Evening Times.
6. (26 March 2003). "Downed US Apache Blown Up With Missile". New Straits Times.
7. Atkinson (2008), pp. 147-153
8. Bernstein, p. 49
9. (26 March 2003). "A city and regime steel for reckoning to come – War on Iraq – smh.com.au".
10. Post-battle analysis indicated the American gunships were targeted in a deliberately planned ambush[http://defense-update.com/newscast/0207/analysis/analysis-100207.htm Deadly Scourge of the US Helicopter Pilots in Iraq] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-05-12 by Colonel David Eshel)
11. John Gordon IV et al. [http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/2005/RAND_DB472.pdf Assessment of Navy Heavy-Lift Aircraft Options] p87. ''[[RAND Corporation]]'', 2005. Accessed: 18 March 2012. {{ISBN. 0-8330-3791-9
12. (2004-01-31). "Interview: Thomas White". PBS.