# Video of Rocket Attack in Afghanistan



## tomahawk6 (1 Apr 2006)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-578914434431483029&q=afghanistan

This is not a recent event, but gives the unitiated an idea of what its like. The video also shows counterfire.Rather good.


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## Franko (1 Apr 2006)

That _looks_ like the FOB in Gahzni....mind you a while ago.

Regards


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## Caleix (1 Apr 2006)

im not trying to be nit picky, but that doesnt sound like rocket fire...sounds more like mortar fire to me....correct me if im wrong in sayin that

Caleix


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## Franko (1 Apr 2006)

Caleix said:
			
		

> im not trying to be nit picky, but that doesnt sound like rocket fire...sounds more like mortar fire to me....correct me if im wrong in sayin that
> 
> Caleix



OK then...you are wrong.    

It's rocket fire, I recognise the sound of them....probably 107mm Soviet era rockets, there are alot in the sandbox and the Taliban use them. It's their preferred weapon of choice because they can put the rocket on a timer and walk away. 

When the rocket launches....they're long gone.

Regards


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## Caleix (1 Apr 2006)

cool learn something new everyday, thanks for tellin me Franko

Caleix


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## Teddy Ruxpin (1 Apr 2006)

Here's a couple of photos illustrating how the Taliban launch their rockets.  Typically, they're propped up against rocks in the general direction of the target and fired using a remote electrical system, sometimes using a timer to allow the insurgents to get away well before the rockets go off.

As a result, rocket fire is often wildly inaccurate and random and is really only useful (as we've seen at KAF lately) against a large area target.

Cheers,

Teddy


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## JBP (10 Apr 2006)

Question though, what were we retailiating with? When the guy said "We're smokin' those mountains over there..." and you could see the impacts and corresponding smoke, what was that? Canadian or American artillery???

Just wondering since I've never had the chance to see our arty in action at all ever... Probably never will either which sucks because I've heard modern arty is pretty amazing in what they can hit etc...

Joe


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## GAP (10 Apr 2006)

That is mortar fire. You don't get the whistle in rockets coming in.


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## tomahawk6 (10 Apr 2006)

It is enemy rocket fire. The counterfire is either arty or our mortars. If it was enemy mortars why didnt they engage the troops in the open outside the FOB ? As has been suggested by Teddy the rockets were probably on a timer and aimed at the base. If it had been mortar fire the base would have taken a beating with alot of casualties.


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## FoverF (15 Apr 2006)

I should point out that I've never seen or heard an artillery rocket in real life, so I certainly can't pull out a "those sound like BM-24 rounds to me." but I do present the following observations;

The rounds appear to get more and more accurate. 

The first two fall in the vicinity of the base, with the rest (to all appearances) subsequently hitting the base. This suggests (to me at least) that they are being adjusted.  

If they are timed rockets, why are they fired one at a time?

 If I had a whole pile of Katyushas, and was just going to point them and run, I'd want a nice big synchronized time on target (or as close to it as possible with whatever timer I'm using). Is there any reasonable advantage to be gained by giving everyone two to ten minutes to find cover while my rounds fire one at a time? Also, I run the risk of having un-expended rockets destroyed by counter-battery while still on the ground. 



> If it was enemy mortars why didnt they engage the troops in the open outside the FOB ?



I don't know how accurate you can drop mortar rounds, but if me and half a dozen of my buddies had just humped a mortar tube, baseplate, etc and a dozen rounds up a mountain, I sure wouldn't want to waste them on a HMMWV. Especially if the mortar is on the reverse slope, with only a (not very good) spotter calling all the shots against a target that's liable to start moving at any time. I would  go for the big easy target with lots of people and stuff to blow up, that's not going anywhere. 



> If it had been mortar fire the base would have taken a beating with alot of casualties



Provided the attackers had more than a few rounds with them. Obviously they were not able to put much ammunition in place, because regardless of what weapon they used, they only fired a handful of rounds, and seem to have been done firing before the counter-battery opened up. Had they been able to put in place more ammunition, of any kind, they would have done a lot more damage to the base than they did. 


So yeah, that's basically what I've got. 

There doesn't seem to be much consensus among the 'experts' as to what kind of rounds those were. Since I can't tell a mortar blast from a hole in the ground ( :), I had to look at the circumstantial evidence, which seems to me to point to a mortar.

Am I way off course here? (not that many here would hesitate to tell me about it if i am)
Or does anybody here think these arguments are reasonable?


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## Franko (15 Apr 2006)

Ever been in a rocket attack? Some of us, including myself, have.

The sound that you can clearly hear are from rockets, plain and simple. It still sends shivers up my spine.....

As for the accuracy...probably nothing more than blind luck.

As for the timing...their MO is to use seperate timers with a seperate power supply for redunancy. The stakes are cut to roughly the same size and eyeballed for aiming. You can clearly see it in the pics Teddy Ruxpin posted..

The Taliban don't normally stick around to see if their handy work had any lasting effects.


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## Good2Golf (15 Apr 2006)

I'm with Franko on this one.  That's exactly what a rocket (at least a 107mm) sounds like.  We had one smoke directly overhead on its way to landing 150m away out front the CA Ambassador's residence...whistle/whoosh followed by a very clear, non-reverberating HE "clap".  Good to see counter battery got on it in under two minutes!

Cheers,
Duey


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## Teddy Ruxpin (15 Apr 2006)

If you're close enough to the launch site, there's a "bang" when they launch too...

I should point out that the Taliban doesn't always use remote launching mechanisms; they'll sometimes stick around and fire manually.  They'll also sometimes use rudimentary rail systems to control the rockets a bit better...


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## Bzzliteyr (15 Apr 2006)

I, having never experienced rocket fire but having been at the receiving end of mortar attacks in 93/94 can say that those are definetly not mortar rounds.. they don't have the "RRRA-whoosh" sounds that mortars do when they hit.  Plus, the whistle doesn't bring back any memories that I can recall.


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## TruckerTony18 (15 Apr 2006)

I agree with Teddy and the other "Rocket guys" definitely a rocket....brings back more ROTO 0 memories. Looks like Ghazni as well. Wide open and nothing but desert fields and razor wire as boundaries for the camp. Glad we invested in HESCO. :warstory:


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## Centurian1985 (16 Apr 2006)

Ref the Taliban, their normal procedure is to set the rockets then move to a position where they can observe the effects of their attack.  This can be up to 24 hours later giving them plenty of time to appear like normal everyday citizens.


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## TangoTwoBravo (16 Apr 2006)

Personally, I find it impolite to ask incoming rounds as to their type and calibre.  It is best to just stay out of the way and leave that to the experts.

While not as loud as a 107mm landing in your camp, I find an RPG exploding over the LZ you are securing is more alarming.  More amusing is when your allies fire a recoilless rifle and the rest of the camp think it is an incoming mortar round.  Incoming, outgoing, who knew?

2B

p.s. nice to see them sending some hate back.


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