Sandstorm territory approaching

ABOARD USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN - Sandstorms could be a big challenge for US-led forces in Iraq in coming days, say officers on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

But Rear Admiral John Kelly, head of Navy aircraft in the Gulf, also told the Lincoln crew the Iraqi Army was on the run five days into a war to oust President Saddam Hussein.

Captain Kendall Card, commanding officer of the Lincoln, said: "We do not know exactly how much the weather will deteriorate over the next couple of days but we do know it's going to deteriorate significantly."

Kelly told the crew more bluntly that the weather would be "a pain in the ass" in coming days.

Card said over the public address system that there were "still many challenges ahead ... The most significant is the call for support of US and coalition land forces around the clock and especially during all weather".

Navy F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets as well as F-14 Tomcats from the Lincoln and two other carriers in the Gulf have been flying missions around the clock in Iraq.

Around 30 other ships have been launching missile strikes on Iraq.

Another two US aircraft carriers are launching strikes from the Mediterranean.

"We've got them on the run and we're going to keep them on the run," said Kelly.

Sandstorms can cut visibility to almost zero and force dust into high-tech equipment.

The sand also cuts the efficiency of US thermal imaging gear that allows troops to see the heat given off by the bodies of Iraqi forces in the dark.

But it also has benefits, cooling the desert heat for attackers wearing stifling chemical weapons protection suits.

Many modern missiles and bombs are unaffected by the weather since they rely on satellite navigation.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq