Comments for Gunner Zen.

Gunner Zen.

2008-01-04T13:41:49Z

The eld among us will remember when the MLRS was fielded, it was intended as an area-fire weapon designed to take out acres of advancing Warsaw Pact tanks and BMPs. Now it's a precision-fire weapon taking out single point targets.

Of course, it can *still* do the acres thing.

A Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System fires a 227 mm rocket at a building that insurgents were using to store explosives and a nearby weapons cache in the open desert near the northern-Iraqi city of Bayji, Dec. 27. It was confirmed the GMLRS from, Detachment 1, Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery Regiment from Fort Sill, Okla., destroyed the target. Photo by Spc. Richard Rzepka 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

Larger version available by clicking here.

Hmmmm. Wonder if there's any legal way to get some of those spacer pads as unique Iraq war artillery souvenirs? Prolly not. And troops, don't take silly risks trying, either - I bet those things will make a TSA explosives sniffer *howl* and the residues might be toxic, anyway. Be cool to score a 155mm primer or a 105mm cartridge case, and those can cover Afstan, too. Hmmm. Have we sent MLRS over to Afghanistan? HIMARs? Time for some rooting around to find out.

Comment from J.M. Heinrichs on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T21:57:25Z

A Major I worked with had spent his formative years with an Honest John battery. Cheers

Comment from Mike Lehnherr on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T17:58:10Z

I remember driving east on the road in SA just short (south) of al Ruqi, during Desert Storm and seeing the MLRS launch from the south and impact at an undisclosed distance in the north. It lit up the early evening sky. Not only a beautiful sight to behold, but I observed its true impact as we rolled north a few days later. It was, and is a great system - much more so since they've worked on and improved the incidence of unexploded clusters. Shortly after I gave up command of my 8" battery in September of 1983,the battalion become an MLRS/8" composite. Not long after, the 8 inchers went away - also a great and NOBLE system. Yes my friend, we are getting old. But from one 8 incher to another, we're STILL the King of Battle. Go RedLeg!! ML

Comment from Albany Rifles on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T16:17:31Z

I had the same thoughts on seeing that photo. Remember when they were also talking about the Assault Breaker warhead for the Lance before the MLRS? Geez, we are getting OLD!