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Guns Failed US Troops in Afghan Firefight

M-4, built for extreme conditions, jammed repeatedly in heavy fire

By the Associated Press

Posted Oct 11, 2009 11:59 AM CDT

(AP) – As militants surrounded the remote Afghanistan base of Wanat on July 13, 2008, Staff Sgt. Erich Phillips' M-4 carbine quit firing. The machine gun he grabbed in desperation didn't work, either. When the battle ended, nine US soldiers lay dead and 27 more were wounded. A detailed study of the attack by a military historian finds that weapons failed repeatedly at a "critical moment," putting the outnumbered Americans at risk of being overrun by nearly 200 insurgents.

So eight years into the Afghanistan war, do US armed forces have the best guns money can buy? Even though guns such as the standard-issue M-4 are built for extreme conditions, the report finds that even meticulously maintained guns turn white-hot in heavy fire and jam—when troops need them most. Though battlefield surveys show 90% of troops are satisfied with their M-4s, US special ops are replacing it with a new rifle and Sen. Tom Coburn, a leading critic, is pushing for a replacement.

[Images (4)]

[Quotes (1)]

In this Sept. 7, 2006 file photo, Staff Sgt. Cristopher Davis of Pensacola, Florida, cleans his M4 assault rifle before going out on a patrol near Camp Florida in eastern Afghanistan. (Saurabh Das)

In this March 27, 2008 file photo, an M4 Colt rifle is displayed at the Colt Defense Plant in Hartford, Conn. (Richard Lardner)

In this March 27, 2008 file photo, M4 Colt rifle are produced at the Colt Defense Plant in Hartford, Conn. (Richard Lardner)

In this Nov. 27, 2006 file photo, US Army Staff Sgt Ruben Romero, from Fort Benning, Ga., demonstrates new technology making use of a magnifying video camera and thermal imaging on the M4 weapon. (Kirtsy Wigglesworth)

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My weapon was overheating. I had shot about 12 magazines and it had only been about a half-hour. I couldn't charge my weapon and put another round in because it was too hot, so I threw my weapon down. - Spc. Chris McKaig in new report

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Guns Failed US Troops in Afghan Firefight