U.S. Troops in Iraq Face A Powerful New Weapon

07-10-2008 • Washington Post

U.S. military officials call the devices Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions, or IRAMs. They are propane tanks packed with hundreds of pounds of explosives and powered by 107mm rockets. They are often fired by remote control from the backs of trucks

1 Comments in Response to U.S. Troops in Iraq Face A Powerful New Weapon

Comment by Chip Saunders

Entered on: 7/10/2008 10:07:09 AM

The IRA nearly killed Margaret Thatcher in the 80's with a similar device.

They took used oxygen cylinders, cut off the tops, making them into improvised mortor tubes. The inside diameter was the same as a standard 1-gallon paint can. These were to be the projectiles. On the annointed day, the truck containing the paint can mortors parked on the next street over from 10 Downing Street and fired. The paint cans full of TNT landed just a tad off to the right and took out the main conference room area instead of the residence where Thatcher was getting dressed for the day.

Low tech CAN be deadly.

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