Hi-Tech Choppers Are Key to American Mission in Afghanistan

Afghanistan was a helicopter graveyard back in the '80s, when the Soviet Union occupied the country. Members of the insurgent Mujahideen, supplied with American-made Stinger missiles, systematically shot down Soviet helicopters.  Without crucial air supremacy, the modern Red Army was paralyzed. Forced to her knees, Moscow withdrew in defeat. Decades later, as the United States escalates its war against Al Qaeda and Taliban extremists in Afghanistan, the helicopter remains an essential military workhorse in remote areas where goats are more suited for travel than cars. But this time, while noisy, low-altitude helicopter flights remain dangerous above hostile territory, today's military is using advanced design and stealth technology to keep American choppers in the air and out of harm's way. “Nobody has enough helicopters,” said war correspondent Michael Yon, author of “Moment of Truth in Iraq” and a very frequent visitor to Afghanistan. “Our troops are spread as thin as an eggshell in extremely rough territory. Some bases are hours or even days from the nearest paved roads, and those areas typically are filled with countless 'perfect' ambush spots.”