Prince Harry arrives in Afghanistan

[thommg]

Prince Harry has arrived at Bastion to begin a 4 month tour as an Apache commader...



This info from the MoD website:

PRINCE HARRY ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN TO BEGIN TOUR OF DUTY IN APACHE SQUADRON

Prince Harry, known as Captain Wales in the military, arrived today at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, to start an operational tour as an Apache pilot.

He will be working as part of the Joint Aviation Group (JAG) which provides helicopter support to the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan forces operating throughout Regional Command South West.

Based out of Bastion, the largest coalition military base in the country, his squadron will provide surveillance, deterrence and, when required, close combat attack capabilities as well as escort duties for other aircraft.

Captain Wales qualified as a Co-Pilot Gunner (CPG) in February this year and was posted to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, to gain further flying experience and to operate the aircraft on a number of exercises.

He has been trained to fly in the front seat as the mission commander, a role that equips the operative to fly the aircraft from the back seat but the majority of the time involves operating the Apache's sights, sensors and weapons systems.

The Deputy Commander of the JAG and Commanding Officer of 3 Regiment AAC in the UK, Lt Col Tom de la Rue, said:

"Captain Wales is a serving soldier and a qualified Apache Pilot having completed the Apache Conversion to Role (CTR) course earlier this year. As such, and after further flying experience, he has deployed along with the rest of the squadron as part of a long-planned and scheduled deployment to provide support to ISAF and Afghan forces operating in Helmand.

"It is a demanding job for my soldiers and all of them including Captain Wales are now focussing on the job in hand. I have every confidence that the team will deliver what is asked of them."

Commander of the JAG, Captain 'Jock' Gordon RN, said:

"I extend an extremely warm welcome to 662 Squadron including Captain Wales who with his previous experience as a Forward Air Controller on operations will be a useful asset to the Joint Aviation Group. Working alongside his colleagues in the squadron, he will be in a difficult and demanding job and I ask that he be left to get on with his duties and allowed to focus on delivering support to coalition forces on the ground."

As with all operational deployments, Captain Wales's deployment has been long planned and the threat to him and others around him thoroughly assessed. Any risk posed by Captain Wales's deployment, based on capability, opportunity and intent of the insurgency, has been, and will continue to be, assessed and has informed the decision to deploy him.

The Apache AH MK1 fleet consists of 67 aircraft that have seen service in Afghanistan and in Libya. It is designed to hunt and destroy armoured vehicles and can operate in all weathers, day and night. It can detect, classify and prioritise up to 256 targets in seconds through its fire control radar and carries a mix of weapons, including rockets, Hellfire missiles and a 30mm chain gun.

[GOOSE]

Really don't understand why the MOD have publicised this?

Talk about creating a target for the insurgents, beggars belief.............

[Chris Procter]

I dont understand the logic behind posting info such as this
no good what so ever can be had in printing this

[Blackcat1]

Watch out Taleban he might flash you! lol ;-)

[thommg]

I must admit I was surprised they went public with it. They must have thought long and hard about it....

Perhaps the UK media could be trusted to have keep a lid on it. The problem is there's no way to control overseas papers, bloggers, broadcasters - not to mention social media - as happened with his last deployment.

[Snoop 95]

Good luck to him and to all our miltary out there.

[Genstabler]

No point trying to keep quiet about it, so might as well release a fairly anodyne but positive information brief. Then this story is no longer chum for the journo sharks and they will go and fabricate their "news" elsewhere.

[RichC]

At the end of the day, i wouldn't want to be revealing myself for thermal imaging trying to get into a position to fire on every Apache that came into the area hoping he was onboard. It just doesn't happen out there. As soon as they hear the growl coming towards them, they run..... not to mention the AH operate above the range of most of the weapons they have at their disposal and they usually operate as a team... plenty of backup.

Anyway, going by his training i witnessed, he was extremely competent at his job and hope he and his colleagues have a safe and rewarding time out there supporting our soldiers on the ground who need the air support to keep them safe. Good on him.

[deerhunter]

Good luck to him and all who are out there.

The son of the Landlady of my local went out yesterday with the AAC. So to get everyone behind him we`ve started our own shoebox collection, why not do it yourself, doesnt cost much and I understand they are very well received

[dustybug]

Its a great idea just remember to put stuff in the shoe boxes (lol) Dont put chocolate in (obvious reasons) or tracker bars the lads hate em and theyre two a penny out there. Playing cards go down well it is darn boring at times. be inventive send some thing different (but legal) They are appreciated especially by the lads in the FOBS makes you feel valued being stuck out there miles from friends and families.

[deerhunter]

Its a great idea just remember to put stuff in the shoe boxes (lol) Dont put chocolate in (obvious reasons) or tracker bars the lads hate em and theyre two a penny out there. Playing cards go down well it is darn boring at times. be inventive send some thing different (but legal) They are appreciated especially by the lads in the FOBS makes you feel valued being stuck out there miles from friends and families.

Thanks for the info, done it before though, so clued up cheers again

[dustybug]

Thought i'd add a bit of info for people that havent. Having the recipient of those boxes on many occasions I can truly say it puts a smile on the lads faces.

[deerhunter]

Thought i'd add a bit of info for people that havent.

No probs, It gives people the feeling that they are helping and showing support for our lads and lassies

[toom317]

Well given the established training routine for pre deployment to Agfannystan, his high jinks in Vegas suggested to me it may have happened while out there on exercise, training for an upcoming deployment East. If I can figure it out, I'm sure the Tally Tubbies and the press can.

[Duane Hewitt]

If I'm honest publishing his arrival is not crating any more of a target really. The Talibs would love nothing more to down an AH and I've no doubt that since their arrival in theatre they've been doing their best to hit one. Because Cpt Wales is now in the cab doesn't really mean they can do much more than they already have been to hit an AH. It's much different than when he was out on the ground where they could flood his AO with more sandals on the ground to add to their firepower.
Besides as Danny has mentioned, it's relatively easy to know the sqn rotations with a little know how.

[bluemoontets]

And if anyone want to send us hard working civvies out here a box it is also much appreciated, trust me . Agree with Dustybug no chocolate, decent tea bags always go down well.

[Figure8]

Appreciate if anyone can give me a pointer on what to include and where to post it to.

Thanks in advance.

Arthur

[gary1701]

Hi,

It was not possible to keep it secret from anybody with any knowledge of the AH squadron rotation, and although the mainstream press are largely ignorant of these details it would have reached them fairly soon. Harry was assigned to 662 Sqn/3 Regiment, which was released to the public, via the press when he completed training. 662's position in the Apache rotation, although not specifically publicized, is again hardly secret and even the press are capable of putting the two together and coming up with four on the odd occasion.

If the Taliban want to try and take on the AH, then they're going to have to change tactics and deploy whatever heavy weapons they have stockpiled (nothing short of a HMG will bother them at the height they operate from), and that'll make them more vulnerable. It'll mean they have to come out for a stand up fight, which would play right into the hands of the AH crews. Strength deployed in Afghan is a single squadron (8-10 Apaches).

Gary