What protection do the military helicopters have against attacks?
Safety devices fitted to helicopters protect them from surface-to-air missiles, but not from rocket-propelled grenades or bullets. Crews will use tactical flying as well as trying to avoid hotspots – but, as they need to fly low, they are vulnerable to attack. If it is confirmed as an attack, will it affect morale? Security experts say the morale of the soldiers in Iraq would remain unchanged by the incident. However, if it emerges that the craft was shot down using foreign-supplied weapons that may affect the way helicopters are used. The government may also re-assess its plan to cut its 7,800 force by 800 troops in the next few months. Who is capable of this sort of attack? The Mahdi Army, insurgents loyal to the Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is known to have weapons capable of bringing down a helicopter. They are better paid than the Iraqi army and they have access to weapons allegedly coming from across the Iranian border. Have there been previous attacks on British military ai
