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Spartans provide watchful eye in southern Iraq
Friday, 27 March 2009
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has been used for reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering by the Department of Defense since 1950.
Today, the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division’s Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Platoon is using the high-flying, remotely- piloted aircraft to provide real-time imagery along the southeastern border of Iraq.
The UAS troops were initially stationed here at COB Adder when the brigade took responsibility for southern Iraq’s tri-province areas of Dhi-qar, Muthana, and Maysan in late June of 2008. As the brigade began to expand operations, the Spartan Soldiers deployed to Forward Operating Bases Garry Owen and Hunter to use their extensive ‘eye in the sky’ visuals to monitor the brigade’s ground troops and provide increased force protection capabilities.
The platoon initially moved a section of troops to FOB Garry Owen in September to support the 2nd Bn, 7th Cav. Regt. Soldiers with long- range UAV coverage in the city of Al Amarah.
In early October, the 21-man platoon was on the move again to FOB Hunter in southern Maysan Province. The 1st Sqdn., 9th Cav. Regt. Soldiers worked closely with the UAS platoon, while the Soldiers provided aerial coverage for the entire Maysan province.
“Our Soldiers were up to the task,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Norton, the 4th STB, 4BCT, 1st. Cav. Div. Commander. “They realized how important their role was, so relocating wasn’t an issue at all.”
The 1-9 Cav. Regt. accomodated the UAS platoon by requesting all the necessary equipment and supplies to turn a barren patch of dirt into a functioning launch-and-recovery UAS site.
“There was a lot of cooperation with 1-9, running through courses of action to find possible solutions,” said Chief Warrant Officer Two Adam Morton, of Brownsville, Texas.
The challenges of this deployment have strengthened, honed and refined the skills of this group of Spartans as they provide crucial aerial intelligence for their brigade.
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