IRAQI RESISTANCE

Geostrategy-Direct.com: Iraqi Resistance May Have 5,000 Advanced SA-16 SAMS

The U.S. Army has assessed that Sunni insurgents in Iraq have obtained and deployed the advanced SA-16 anti-aircraft missile.

The determination was first reached in November 2003 and confirmed in Sunni surface-to-air missile attacks against U.S. Army helicopters over the last few weeks, U.S. military sources said. The SA-16 is believed to be the most advanced Soviet-origin anti-aircraft missile in the Sunni arsenal of at least 5,000 SAM missiles.

On Jan. 8, a SA-16 missile was used to down a UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter. The helicopter, used for medical evacuation, crashed and nine crewmembers and passengers were killed.