AFP – Oct. 07, 2014 – The US military has started flying attack helicopters against Islamic State militants in Iraq for the first time, officials said Monday, marking an escalation in the air war that puts American troops at higher risk.
US Central Command, which is overseeing the air campaign in Iraq and Syria, said helicopters took part in strikes on Sunday and Monday in Iraq.
“It has a capability that was asked for by the Iraqi government,” said spokesman Major Curtis Kellogg.
“It was a capability that was available, that was requested, and it was a fit” for the targets to be attacked, he told AFP.
Flying at a lower altitude and at a slower speed than fighter jets and bombers, the helicopter gunships are more vulnerable to hostile ground fire.
The move also raised questions about the effectiveness of the air war so far, which began in Iraq on August 8 and was extended into Syria on September 23.
Officials said privately the helicopters were Apache aircraft, which can linger over targets and strike at close distance with heavy fire power.
“It’s a natural progression,” said a US defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. In a fluid battle, helicopters can offer the best option instead of “fast movers.”
But he added: “It’s more vulnerable. No question about it.”