Helicopter versus RPG

Waiting for impact.

Waiting…it should have exploded by now.

Where did it go?

We saw no sign of impact.

Flame still coming out of the tube.

Still some flame.  At night, this would be easily visible with night vision gear, and of course thermals would see the man with the hot RPG tube.

The rocket appears to have sailed over the hill.  I hope that there was not a shepherd over there.

Still smoking.  No explosion.

We just added one more piece of RPG UXO (unexploded ordinance) to the Afghanistan mess.  Just stepping off of these roads can get you launched into the sky by landmines.

Last year, an RPG killed 38 people in a single shoot-down.  22 Navy SEALs were lost in that helicopter crash.

There is talk about how it is better to have an Apache attack helicopter orbiting overhead than to have guns on Dustoff MEDEVAC birds.  But look at those clouds.  This is normal in Afghanistan.  Often, the only cover that will work is you covering yourself.  When it comes to RPG versus low-flying helicopter, it is a fair match.