KEY ACTIVITY Jun 11 UK Reapers Protect ISAF Troops 39 Sqn’s remotely-piloted Reaper aircraft provided life-saving protection to ISAF troops this week, as well as continuing to deliver crucial real-time imagery and information to ground commanders. While operating near Marjeh, the Reaper crew spotted a suspicious individual carrying a long-barrelled weapon in the direction of members of 2/8 Battalion, US Marine Corps. The suspected insurgent took up a position alongside another individual and then opened fire on the Marines, whose commander requested support from the Reaper. The Reaper crew then successfully engaged the hostile insurgents with a Hellfire missile, using the weapon’s extreme precision and low yield to ensure that the two insurgents were the only casualties. The Marines subsequently recovered a machine gun, an AK47, a radio and bomb-making equipment.

KEY ACTIVITY Jun 11 Tornado GR4s Assist Insurgent Arrest Crews from 617 Sqn’s detachment to Kandahar played a vital role in the arrest of a key insurgent commander this week. The Tornado GR4s were conducting a route sweep in the Loy Mandeh area using their Litening III targeting and reconnaissance pods when they were called in to support a UK patrol searching for a senior insurgent known to be in the area. Shortly afterwards the crews spotted a group of individuals by a nearby compound acting suspiciously and reported this to the ground commander. As a result of the subsequent search operation, the insurgent commander was detained, along with another person who had attempted to hide in the compound, but had been spotted by the sharp-eyed Tornado crew. Thanks to the crucial information provided by the 617 Sqn crews, ISAF troops were able to disrupt insurgent activity without the use of weaponry, thus eliminating the risk of civilian casualties or damage to property.

KEY ACTIVITY Jun 11 Sentinel Crews Spread Their Wings This week, 5(AC) Sqn’s Sentinel aircraft returned to the skies over Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan. Making full use of the ASTOR system’s ability to link into the full spectrum of Coalition units, the Sentinel crews worked with the US 170 Infantry Brigade to deliver high fidelity information using the aircraft’s Ground Moving Target Indication and Synthetic Aperture Radar systems. Likewise returning to the more familiar territory of Helmand province, the Sqn were kept busy providing support to 42 Commando in the vicinity of Nad-e Ali as part of Op TORA CHAKO 2, followed by a period supporting the US Marine Corps’ Regimental Combat Team 8 in the Kajaki area.

KEY ACTIVITY 2 May – 8 May 11 Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) KEY ACTIVITY 13 Jun – 19 Jun 11 Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) 652/657 AAC (Lynx) – Lynx’s involvement in wider deliberate operations has increased in recent weeks with the US Marine Corp (USMC) identifying the Lynx aircraft as an excellent C2 platform for Air Mission Command tasks outside of Task Force Helmand and thus, requesting its tasking during USMC operations. 663 Sqn AAC (AH) – The Apaches have been involved in a high number of engagements this week, with a variety of taskings across the entire Regional Command (South West) area.

KEY ACTIVITY 2 May – 8 May 11 Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) KEY ACTIVITY 13 Jun – 19 Jun 11 Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) 1419 Flt RAF (Merlin) – This week, 1419 Flt RAF has been operating widely across the region completing a variety of equipment and personnel movements, with revised tasking windows now offering a higher rate of aircraft utilisation. Significant VIP movements have also taken place, most notably during the visit of the Secretary of State for Defence, Chief of the General Staff (Army) and the First Sea Lord (RN) who visited a variety of units at Bastion and across theatre Flt RAF (Chinook) – An incredibly busy week for the Chinook fleet, moving in excess of 1000 coalition force and local national personnel around the area of operations. In addition to this, in support of the Medical Emergency Recovery Team (MERT), the fleet have extracted over 30 casualties of all nationalities. Total activity has equated to over 130 flying hours, highlighting the incredibly hard work of both aircrew and groundcrew.

TFH MEDIA OPS Above: The Canal where the incident took place Top right: Sgt Daniel with his OC Maj Christian Friis Task Force Helmand June 11 Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (North) - DANBAT Danish soldier saves Afghan National Army soldier from drowning in the desert Sgt Daniel, who used to be lifeguard and a water polo player, was sitting in his Patrol Base near Geresk when he heard a commotion outside. He immediately ran out and saw a man struggling in the Nahr-e Bughra Canal. Without any hesitation he threw himself in to the water to rescue the man and brought him safely to shore. Sgt Daniel then realised that the man was an Afghan soldier. Going to the Afghan desert in Helmand, Sgt Daniel never imagined that he would have to save one of his Afghan National Army comrades from drowning.

Task Force Helmand June Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (South) - 1 RIFLES Group An intelligence led combined operation using troops from 1 RIFLES, 4 SCOTS, 45 Commando and the Counter-Improvised Explosive Task Force uncovered one of the largest and most important finds of bomb making equipment on Herrick 14 so far. The caches of components were discovered in a ‘bomb making factory’ just 300 metres from the new Check Point Salaang on the banks on the Nahr-e Bughra Canal in the Nahr-e Saraj District. The find included 81 improvised detonators, 45kg of Home Made Explosives, 44 completed pressure pads as well as different types of ammunition, carbon rods, battery packs and other IED components. Many lives have been saved with severe and significant disruption caused to the insurgents. On his recent visit General Sir Peter Wall, the Chief of the General Staff, inspected the work of the Royal Engineers who built a new bridge over the Canal. Named The Haft (which means Seven) Bridge after Operation Omid Haft (Hope Seven) – reminding the West Country Riflemen of the Severn Bridge near their home in Chepstow.

The Estonian Minister of Defence, Mart Laar, and the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Riho Terras, visited Estonian troops at Patrol Base Wahid. They went on to meet with Gulab Mangal, the Governor of Helmand Province, and with Brigadier Ed Davis, the Commander of Task Force Helmand, before they flew on to Kabul for talks with Government Ministers. Meanwhile the Estonian Company 12, serving in Nad-e Ali, handed over a second Check Point, El Haam, to the Afghan National Police. Task Force Helmand June 11 Estonian Company attached to 42 Commando Group

Task Force Helmand June 11 Combined Force Lashkar Gah - 4 SCOTS Group Operation Zmaray Suk (Lions Fist) was an aviation operation into the Sur Shak area of Lashkar Gah District aimed at disrupting an assessed insurgent supply route and headquarters area. The operation achieved success with a significant find of bomb making equipment, including 40kg of Home Made Explosives, some of which was already prepared as Improvised Explosive Devices. The significant overmatch in force combined with the surprise of an aviation insertion allowed the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and 4 SCOTS to have freedom of movement in an area where it had not previously been possible.

Task Force Helmand June 11 TFH Engineer Group – 24 Commando Engineer Regiment 39 Armoured Engineer Squadron As part of the Afghan National Army led Operation Omid Haft, 39 Armoured Engineer Squadron built a 15 bay Logistic Support Bridge to replace a General Support Bridge that the Squadron had built over the previous 2 weeks. The bridge allows the security forces to move north of the Nahr-e Bughra Canal easily and is also used by the locals in the area. It will be a semi-permanent structure. Clockwise from top left: the bridge reaches the far bank; the front of the bridge being constructed; building the bridge; the bridge reaches out over the Canal.