Gunships in Afghanistan

Press, 18 April 1980, Page 12

Gunships in Afghanistan

By

PAUL CORRIGAN

The United States forces in the Vietnam war added a new dimension to warfare when, they fitted machine guns and rockets to their helicopters. These gunships could strafe and bombard areas inaccessible to tanks and conventional artillery. The Russians, in their intervention in Afghanistan have gone a step further. The Mujahideen — the guerrillas fighting the Russians in Afghanistan — are reported as being able to hold their own in battles ' against Russian and Afghan Government units. In the mountains the guerrillas apparently inflicted heavy casualties, until the Mil 24s arrive. The Mil 24 has been dubbed a “fly- . ing battle tank,” and with good reason. Code-named “Hind D” by the North . Atlantic Treaty Organisation, it is one of the most advanced and most powerful helicopters in the world. It has been designed as a weapon to destroy tanks, and for that purpose it carries four guided anti-tank missiles . under its wing tips. It also - carries 128 57mm missiles in four under-wing pods. Under its chin it carries

a multi-barrel heavy machine gun or cannon — its calibre is estimated variously at 12.7 mm, 23mm or even 30mm. The Mil 24 will also carry a squad of soldiers, about 12 men. All this gives it greater operational flexibility than any other helicopter in existence. It was first issued to Soviet forces in East Germany in 1975, and was first reported to be in Afghanistan last year. Since the Russians moved into Afghanistan in strength the Mil 24 has been used more and more against the Mujahideen, who have appealed to the West for surface-to-air guided missiles to shoot them down. The guerrillas, according to Philip Cornford, of the “Australian” newspaper, say that if there were no Russians there would be no war. Without their helicopters, the Russians would be an emasculated fighting force. The guerrillas are terrified of the gunships. An example of the awesome power of the multi-barrel gun, under the Mil’s chin: it spits out up to 6000 shots a minute, and the weight of fire ,is so great that the rocks behind which the

guerrillas take cover are pulverised into dust. The guerrillas have found that their rifles and light automatic weapons are not enough to shoot down the Hind D. Thick titanium armour protects the cockpit area and various vital parts. The fibreglass rotor blades are strengthened by steel spars and the rotor head is apparently of cast titanium. What the guerrillas seek is a missile like the Russians’ own SAM 7. This is a mancarried missile about 1..37m long, and is launched from the shoulder. It is simple to use. The Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese used it to good effect against American helicopters in Vietnam. Its range is estimated to be 3.7 km. Its counterpart on the American side is the Redeye, which has been in production since 1964. The. missile is about to . be replaced in United States service by a weapon called the 3 Stinger, which is reported to be far superior to the Redeye. The only other manportable, surface-to-air guided missile in production is the British Blowpipe. Its characteristics are similar to the SAM 7 and the Redeye.