Rear gunner, Iraq, 2007

Digital photograph by Corporal Ian Forsyth, Army Photographer, Royal Logistic Corps, 2007.

A member of a Royal Air Force Merlin crew with a General Purpose Machine Gun on the ramp of the helicopter.

Helicopters, whether used for reconnaissance, supply or for transporting troops, were a vital asset for British and US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan where ground vehicles were often subject to attack by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). They therefore became a prime target for insurgent forces. A downed helicopter could not only lead to multiple casualties and the disruption of enemy operations, but also, if captured on video, could be used in propaganda designed to raise morale, encourage recruitment and weaken the enemy's resolve. As a result, various measures were employed to protect the aircraft, including evasive tactics, flare dispensers to combat heat seeking surface to air missiles and machine guns, like the one pictured here, used to suppress enemy combatants on the ground.