Sun, Jul 15, 2007
Recommends Improved Training, Technology
An inquiry into the September 4, 2006 death of a Canadian
soldier in southern Afghanistan has determined the pilot of a US
Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt was "solely responsible" for what the
board called a "preventable" error.
As ANN reported, another 30
people were injured when the unnamed pilot, flying in support of
NATO ground forces operating in Panjwayi, mistook a garbage fire
ignited by friendly troops for an enemy bomb blast, and strafed the
area.
CanWest News Service reports the A-10A Friendly Fire Board of
Inquiry report, released Friday, states the pilot "lost his
situational awareness" in the incident -- the second in four
years to involve a US aircraft firing on Canadian soldiers in
Afghanistan. In early 2002, an F-16 dropped a laser-guided bomb on
Canadian troops in training.
Lt.-Gen. Michel Gauthier said the inquiry's findings confirm the
importance of following correct procedures in combat -- "[b]ut
given the nature of such operations," he warned, "the associated
risk cannot be reduced to zero."
Ahead
of its ruling, the four-member Canadian Forces inquiry board
collected approximately 33 eyewitness and expert reports of the
incident. It also commended the response of medical staff in the
field for preventing more fatalities.
The inquiry recommended further training for ground-support
missions, as well as improved technologies... which are already on
the way.
In April, Lockheed Martin announced its A-10 Prime Team
successfully delivered the full-function Situational Awareness Data
Link (SADL) capability to the US Air Force for developmental flight
testing. SADL is part of the A-10C Precision Engagement program,
designed to improve pilot situational awareness by providing
additional information about friendly and enemy air and ground
assets.
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