03-23-2012, 03:50 AM
In my team the gunner would have got a boot up the arse for working that way. He gave away his position when it was unecessary, he wasted alot of ammunition for no good effect as he clearly had no idea where the fire was coming from. Doctrine in the Australian Army is pretty conservative on the use of the gun. It is the primary firepower of the section and is only used when necessary as it has a distinctive signature that enemy focus on to destroy your team. Disable the gun and the riflemen are relatively easy to roll up.
I will pick fault with the Platoon Commander (the LT) who was within booting range and he didn't seem to do much to control and direct the fire of his troops. The section did nothing with his bursts; no supress to fix the enemy, no move to engage (or disengage), no directing of supporting weapons, no using the supressing fire to observe and direct. If there had been some capable RPG gunners in the area they would have all got alot dirtier.
I won't pick fault with the gunners gaffe when reloading as in the heat of the moment it is easy enough to do.
I'm not sure how having a HBAR magazine fed supporting gun would have made any real difference in the action on the video. The issue was not the gun, but the control of the gunner. Instead of empty link bags there would have been a bunch of empty large M16 magazines. At least the link bags compress somewhat when empty.
STANC - As you say, the 5.56 won't punch through those walls, a 7.62 will punch through a mud brick wall (like the one the Australians are using for cover), but some Afghan walls are actually stacked rock covered in mud and the 7.62 won't go through or seriously demolish them. RPGs tend to pull them apart though.
I will pick fault with the Platoon Commander (the LT) who was within booting range and he didn't seem to do much to control and direct the fire of his troops. The section did nothing with his bursts; no supress to fix the enemy, no move to engage (or disengage), no directing of supporting weapons, no using the supressing fire to observe and direct. If there had been some capable RPG gunners in the area they would have all got alot dirtier.
I won't pick fault with the gunners gaffe when reloading as in the heat of the moment it is easy enough to do.
I'm not sure how having a HBAR magazine fed supporting gun would have made any real difference in the action on the video. The issue was not the gun, but the control of the gunner. Instead of empty link bags there would have been a bunch of empty large M16 magazines. At least the link bags compress somewhat when empty.
STANC - As you say, the 5.56 won't punch through those walls, a 7.62 will punch through a mud brick wall (like the one the Australians are using for cover), but some Afghan walls are actually stacked rock covered in mud and the 7.62 won't go through or seriously demolish them. RPGs tend to pull them apart though.