Why Rocket Attacks on Kandahar Airfield?

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Here's a totally naive question and I'm sure some of you out there in theatre or those who have been there can answer the question.

Why is it so hard to stop insurgents from firing rockets into our camp at Kandahar?

I've never been there so don't know the lay of the land or the problems there so I am asking for enlightenment here. The press doesn't really cover this stuff at all and I'm serving with the Navy right now so not much chance to ask those who've been there.

Is there more we could be doing or is this something we'll just have to live with?
Is the area too big to catch everyone who sneaks up with an RPG or what?

 

[George Wallace]

A quick analogy.....Last night, how hard was it to stop any of your neighbours from firing off Fireworks in their backyards or front lawns?

 

[GAP]

Here are some threads that already cover the subject pretty thoroughly.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/43246.0.html

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060503/afghanistan_baseattack_060607/20060607?hub=TopStories

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/46582.0.html

 

[2 Cdo]

Short of killing or capturing every single Taliban or al Queda scumbag it is something the troops will have to deal with. I'd like to think that far more attacks are prevented then actually occur.

 

[Sindy]

From Kandahar... well let just say that I agree with the fireworks theory!  Yes it is really disturbing... especially this week... The good news that you don't see in the media is that some of them got caught doing it, and it prevented a few more rockets from being launched.  But the media never tells good story...  5 months done here, 4 months to go...

 

[Franko]

For one there are litterall over a hundred square kilometers of ground surrounding the base and also mountains.

The rockets being fired are 107mm and can fire from pretty much anywhere and are put on timers and proped up on sticks or stones.

Given their range....it's a pretty big area to search.

Any that actually hit KAF are literally by luck and nothing more.

They are still a credible threat though....as demonstrated a few days ago.

Regards

 

[Armymatters]

Is there any way to track them and hopefully shoot them down, or give the people there advanced warning to head to shelter? Or do they fly so erradictally that it is difficult to figure out where they will land? Kandahar Airfield is an important coalition base, so I am assuming that there are systems in place to track and guess where these rockets fall.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Like it was said earlier, They are on time fuzes and they just point in a general direction and hope for the best! There are systems to detect were there coming from , but no one home! and they move the launch sites quite often.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

This explains it...

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41649/post-360147.html#msg360147

 

[Franko]

Watch the video at the beginning and you'll get an idea of what it's like.....remember though, it's only an idea.   

Regards