blackwater helicopter shot down video

Not to be confused with. Platform: Nintendo 64. Blackwater company hit againThe Blackwater aircraft was at least the 14th helicopter to go down since the war began in March 2003. The news was quickly picked up by the media and broadcast by CNN. Wang was tried on three counts of dereliction of duty. He said his investigation found that not all the performance evaluations for the individuals involved in the shootdown reflected the fact that they had received administrative action related to the incident. After interviewing 137 witnesses and conducting numerous tests, the 27-volume, 3,630-page AFR 110-14 investigation report was publicly released on 13 July 1994, although some report's details had been leaked to the media by unknown defense officials two weeks earlier. You would never fire until you know what you are shooting at." As a result, the Russians have had to adopt a more cautious approach in employing their aircraft, employing stand-off weapons that can be launched from behind Russian lines or flying at high altitudes to avoid short-range air defense systems; the effectiveness of Russian air attacks are thus reduced by not being able to engage targets from close range, Williams said. Ukrainian Armed Forces shared a video showing a Russian helicopter being shot down. Martin, Tracy, Wang, Halcli, and Wilson faced a joint Article 32 hearing while May's hearing was separate. Dallager was appointed as superintendent of the USAF Academy in June 2000 and was promoted to lieutenant general on 1August of the same year. Not a bad theory until Iran and Syria move in and take over and destabilize the entire region as the tribes start warring wholesale. The officer said the attacker had either been lucky in stationing himself near the helicopter's flight path, or there had been "detailed reconnaissance" by the insurgents. As a result of complaints by family members of the victims and others that the military was failing to hold its personnel accountable, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House conducted their own investigations into the shootdown and the U.S. military's response to it. A U.S. security company helicopter crashed as it flew over a dangerous Sunni neighborhood in the central Baghdad where insurgents and Iraqi security troops . Although the Black Hawk intermittent radar and now steady IFF returns on the AWACS scopes were in the same location as the unidentified contacts being tracked by the F-15s, none of the AWACS controllers advised Wickson or May that the contacts they were tracking might be friendly helicopters. The following clip has started to circulate online on social media on Apr. The next day the board sent senate subpoenas directly to the USAF headquarters office at the Pentagon, which refused to accept them. It appears the helicopter was cruising along when it was hit by a Ukrainian missile. In addition to the flags on the fuel tanks, each helicopter was marked with American flags on each side door, on the nose, and on the belly. The ATO version sent to Eagle Flight, for unknown reasons, gave a wrong IFF Mode I code for the TAOR. A Warner Bros. Washington, "So, Who's to Blame? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Come here, come here," the off-camera insurgent said, reaching out a hand to pull him up. The board president was Major General James G. Andrus, USAF. Mangin was Santarelli's legal adviser during the Wickson and May inquiry. The GAO noted, however, that it was unable to obtain complete confirmation of this finding because the DoD denied the GAO request to interview key USAF officials including Santarelli, Dallager, Starr, and Mangin. He did not fly another sortie until the 14 April 1994 mission in which the Black Hawks were shot down. The video opens with footage shot from a helicopter circling as another helicopter drops in ammo to the Blackwater team on a rooftop. [11], Both F-15 pilots then electronically interrogated the radar target with their on-board IFF systems across two different modes (Mode I and Mode IV). [17] Neither F-15 pilot had been informed that U.S. Army Black Hawks participating in OPC often carried auxiliary fuel tanks mounted on wings nor had either been instructed in the paint scheme that Iraqi Hind helicopters used, light brown and desert tan, which was different from the dark green color used by the Black Hawks. In fact, the problem was considered serious enough that the military had referred Wang to medical authorities to be checked for narcolepsy. 0 . The missile hit and destroyed the trailing helicopter seven seconds later (.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}3646N 4405E / 36.767N 44.083E / 36.767; 44.083). Their mission was to perform an initial fighter sweep of the TAOR to clear the area of any hostile aircraft prior to the entry of coalition forces. Its operative command released video of a missile hitting a low-flying helicopter, which crashed seconds later http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9142046234356623565&q=blackwater&hl=en. "[35] General Shalikashvili, now serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added: "There were a shocking number of instances where people failed to do their job properly. blackwater helicopter shot down videoconservation international ceo. Williams, a defense policy researcher with the RAND Corporation. CNN geolocated this video. "[50] Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall added, "The Black Hawk helicopters were downed as a result of a tragic series of errors and unfortunate events involving numerous people. [43] Emery had been promoted to brigadier general on 15 July 1994 and his promotion was allowed to stand. [79][80], The 53rd Fighter Squadron was closed on 10 March 1999,[81] but was reactivated in December 2021 as part of 495th Fighter Group. Following, I served 5 tours in the region you fuken dink!!! #Shorts #sniper #Airdefense Subscribe here - https://bit.ly/3IekezS If you like the video, please subscribe and like it..Arma is personally the most fun an. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much I think if were talking specifically about the air campaign, its a combination of factors: Poor training, maybe slightly outdated equipment, and also just command and control the issues weve been seeing with operational commanders not necessarily translating down to tactical levels in the appropriate way. About 300 yards away, across the stony desert, a stretch of tall grass was visible. [64], The GAO released its investigation report on 12 November 1997. [47], Frank Spinner, Wang's civilian attorney, argued that USAF Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak, a career fighter pilot, had made clear that he did not want Wickson and May punished for their actions in the shootdown. Dan Laguna, also a Blackwater employee in Baghdad, and his brother were on a rescue mission, flying in separate helicopters, when both were shot down, he wrote. During that time period, Tracy was incorrectly left in MR status and subsequently incorrectly designated as mission crew commander on 14 April. [65], The GAO investigation also uncovered evidence that a rivalry between F-15 and F-16 pilots may have contributed to Wickson's and May's "urgency to engage hostile aircraft" but was not discussed in the USAF investigation. Rory Carroll in Baghdad. The remaining footage is shot from the rooftop, focusing . A senior American military officer in Iraq confirmed that the helicopter was hit by a missile and that American investigators were investigating the wreckage in an attempt to determine what kind of missile was used. [78], A monument to the 26 victims of the shootdown was constructed at Giebelstadt Army Airfield, Germany and dedicated on 14 April 1996. The 1994 Black Hawk shootdown incident, sometimes referred to as the Black Hawk Incident, was a friendly fire incident over northern Iraq that occurred on 14 April 1994 during Operation Provide Comfort (OPC). AWACS crew members added in their testimonies that once Wickson and May visually identified the helicopters as hostile, all responsibility for the shootdown passed to the F-15 pilots. Although the helicopters were squawking (signalling) the wrong IFF Mode I code for the no-fly zone (called the Tactical Area of Responsibility or TAOR), neither Wang nor Halcli informed the Black Hawk pilots of that (both helicopters, however, were squawking the correct Mode II codes). Take a look at the numerous Websites and equipment catalogs, and you will see that sight prices range from $30 to about $1,500 for the most common models. Want to write for Task & Purpose? The video, which has not been . "[18], Following their VID passes, Wickson and May circled back behind the helicopters approximately 10 miles (16km). BAGHDAD, Iraq - Five civilians died in the Baghdad crash of a helicopter owned by the private security company Blackwater USA, according to a U.S. military official. [15], May then conducted his own VID pass about 1,500 feet (500m) above the helicopters and reported, "Tally 2. That's the simple strategy for success that was voiced by one of the finalists in the 5.11 Challenge law enforcement shooting competition. The damaged helicopter was able to keep flying for roughly a minute as a fire broke out aboard the aircraft and rapidly grew larger, engulfing everything inside of the helicopter until it crashed. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. I can tell you where they are." [1], OPC took place in an area of northern Iraq above the 36th parallel. Four of the five Americans killed when a U.S. security company's helicopter crashed in a dangerous Sunni neighborhood in . January 24, 2007 / 1:49 PM / AP. Hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, its six warplanes, including a helicopter, were allegedly shot down over the . The DoD, on 20 November in another letter signed by Miller again refused to produce the witnesses. They train special ops and all kinds of shooters and looters. "[22], General Robert C. Oaks, USAF, Commander of United States Air Forces in Europe, immediately appointed an Air Force Regulation (AFR) 110-14 accident investigation board composed of a board president, eleven board members from the USAF and U.S. Army, three associate members from France, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, four legal advisers, and thirteen technical advisers. "[63], In September 1995 the House National Security Subcommittee on Military Personnel, chaired by Bob Dornan, requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct its own investigation into the shootdown incident. [42], The USAF later announced the administrative actions taken against the other personnel involved in the shootdown. dang. AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types. The F-15 pilots fired on and destroyed both helicopters, killing all 26 military and civilians aboard, including personnel from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Turkey, and the Kurdish community. You can email him at schogol@taskandpurpose.com, direct message @JeffSchogol on Twitter, or reach him on WhatsApp and Signal at 703-909-6488. The U.S. House investigation, conducted in part by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), found that the military investigative and judicial systems had operated mostly as designed, but also noted that the DoD had refused access to key witnesses. Silah?" Video shows critical Bakhmut supply bridge destroyed by Russian forces, Military analyst says this is Ukraine's best course of action now, Putin accuses Ukraine of 'terrorist attack' in Russia. Thus, Roth decided to drop the matter and continue preparing the report without the testimony of Santarelli, Dallager, Starr, and Mangin. October 31, 2004. China and the Russians both need oil they can get and we will have to buy from them or some other middle man. "; Peterson, "Court-Martial Begins in 'Friendly Fire' Deaths in Iraq"; Piper. 57 votes, 30 comments. Associated Press, "No Charges Likely Against F-15 Pilot"; Peterson, "Court-Martial Begins in 'Friendly Fire' Deaths in Iraq"; Piper. As a young boy, Link is tricked by Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo Thieves. All Rights Reserved. May's hearing, beginning on 7November 1994 at Sembach Air Base, Germany was a closed hearing and presided over by Colonel Edward M. Starr, USAF, under the legal jurisdiction of Santarelli. [74] Lawrence Tracy retired immediately after Wang's court-martial on an early (15-year) retirement option. Ukrainian forces downed a Russian Mi-8 near Berestove, Donetsk Oblast pic.twitter.com/vQqEsCfy3Z. [53], The House Committee on National Security hearing on 3August was presided over by Congressman Bob Dornan and lasted one day. Schmitt, "Copter Deaths: Pentagon Finds Human Failure"; Snook. General George Joulwan, U.S. Army, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, removed Pilkington as commander of OPC but the USAF retained him as commander of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Dallager retired on 1September 2003, but at the rank of major general. [66] During the GAO's investigation, USAF OPC officers confirmed that the rivalry between the F-15 and F-16 communities was particularly pronounced and intense partly due to the fact that F-16 aircraft had scored all the air-to-air combat kills in Iraq and Bosnia since the end of the Gulf War. Contrary to standard procedure, neither Tracy nor Wang spoke up at this point to request that the AWACS crew members attempt to identify the F-15s' radar contacts. The area where it was filmed includes a base where the Russians have been running . O'Brien or his staff apparently did not attempt to communicate specific information on this mission to the AWACS or F-15 fighter units at Incirlik, the CFAC, the ground-based mission director, or to the "Duke" on board the AWACS. Arana-Barradas, "Black hawk incident 'tragic series of errors'"; GAO, "Operation Provide Comfort"; Schmitt, "Chief of Air Force Grounds 5 Pilots"; Piper. Martin, May, O'Brien, Tracy, Wickson, and Wilson received letters of reprimand. They are based just north of us out of Moyock, NC. Brigadier General John R. Dallager, an F-15 pilot and Wickson's and May's wing commander (52nd Fighter Wing) and regimental court-martial 303 inquiry officer, said he found May's errors in the shootdown "reasonable. CNN geolocated this video. Bacon, "DoD Press Briefing"; Verhovek, "Air Force Officer Is Acquitted in Downing of Army Aircraft"; Piper. Also, the crew members of the AWACS aircraft were blamed for their inaction in failing to exercise appropriate control and for not intervening in the situation. Because aircraft from various nations sometimes operated unannounced in the northern Iraq area, the OPC rules of engagement required the F-15 pilots to attempt to verify the nationality of the helicopters. The personnel involved were allowed to petition for the removal of the letters from their records at a future time. The evil human uses Link to gain access to the Sacred Realm, where he places his tainted hands on Triforce and transforms the beautiful Hyrulean landscape into a barren wasteland. Increasingly, this has been the profile of the rebels offered by senior American commanders, who say the insurgents match ruthlessness with a growing tactical sophistication. On the day of the shootdown, the F-15s had interrogated the Black Hawks on two different IFF Modes (Mode I and Mode IV). Not only did the Russians gravely underestimate Ukraines air defenses and the Wests ability to provide the Ukrainians with more anti-aircraft weapons, but the Russian military has been unable to adapt to and overcome the way that Ukraine uses all its air defense systems, said Karolina Hird, a Russia analyst with the Institute for the Study of War think tank in Washington, D.C. In addition, the identification friend or foe (IFF) systems had not functioned to identify the helicopters to the F-15 pilots. Thorson also stated that he believed Starr had submitted an inaccurate and misleading report on May's Article 32 hearing to the USAF commanding officers, including Dallager and Santarelli. The OPC combined air forces were commanded by Colonel Curtis H. Emery, USAF. [38], On 17 November 1994 the USAF announced that Colwell had recommended to Croker that Wang face court-martial and that Halcli receive nonjudicial administrative action on the dereliction of duty charges. We were called out on a mission where there was a blackwater Chopper that was shot down and they got in the other bird that was flying with them and left equ. Subsequently, Wickson was transferred to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, to undergo instructor pilot training with a follow-on assignment to Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. OMG, did you watch the 3rd or so video, the last one? The problems that Russian military aviation has faced in Ukraine are emblematic of the struggles facing the entire Russian military, which have prevented it from fighting as well as many experts had expected at the onset of the invasion, Hird told Task & Purpose. One reason why the Russians have yet to control Ukraines airspace is that the Ukrainian military successfully dispersed its air defense systems before the invasion, making it more difficult for the Russians to find and attack them, Williams said. "[27] Although the OPC ROE did task the AWACS with controlling and monitoring helicopter operations in the TAOR, the board found that the AWACS crew believed they had no responsibility for controlling U.S. Army Black Hawks or ensuring that other coalition aircraft were aware of Black Hawks operating in the TAOR. Over the six years of the operation, coalition participants flew a total of 62,000 fixed-wing and rotary-wing sorties. The dead were identified as Robert J. Gore, 23, of Nevada, Iowa; Curtis Hundley, 42, of Kernersville, N.C.; Steve McGovern, 24, of Lexington, Ky.; Jason Obert, 29, of Fountain, Colo.; David Patterson, 27, of Havelock, N.C.; Luke A. Petrik, 24, of Conneaut, Ohio; and Eric Smith, 31, of Waukesha, Wis. Washington, "So, Who's to Blame? I'm looking for footage of a Blackwater helicopter being shot down some time in 2005 by the Islamic Army in Iraq, several Pilkington, Emery, and Richardson received letters of admonishment. Their first contact in Iraq was in summer of 2003 when they secured a $21 million contract . Click here. Asked in 2001 about the DoD's refusal to honor the Senate subpoenas, Thorson responded, "Basically they told the United States Senate to go to hell. Also, many of Roth's senate colleagues, including John McCain, were asking him to "back off". The Bulgarian aircraft was flying from Baghdad's Green Zone, the American command compound, to an American base in Tikrit, along a heavily flown route that passes near Taji, an insurgent stronghold. Wilson and the other AWACS crew members, many of whom were monitoring the F-15s' radio frequency, did not inform the F-15s that Black Hawks were currently operating in the TAOR. Much about the attack suggests the insurgents are well organized, quick to react when targets present themselves, and just as quick to escape before superior American firepower can bear down. The air tasking order (ATO) that was supposed to list all scheduled coalition aircraft missions for that day and which the two pilots reviewed before takeoff, mentioned that U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters would be operating in the TAOR but did not list takeoff times, routes, or flight durations for them. Ukraine's armed forces claim to have shot down a Russian military helicopter. [9], At 10:20, Wickson, the F-15C flight lead, reported entering northern Iraq to the AWACS controller responsible for air traffic inside the TAOR, USAF Lieutenant Ricky Wilson. The VID pass entailed violating one of OPC's rules of engagement, which prohibited fighter aircraft from operating below 10,000 feet (3,050m) above the ground. "[29] When the investigators asked Martin what action he took when the F-15s called a visual identification on two Hind helicopters, Martin stated, "I did nothing. [69], On 26 August 1994, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that it would pay U.S.$100,000 (ex gratia) in compensation to the families of each of the non-U.S. personnel killed in the incident. Schmitt, "Copter Deaths: Pentagon Finds Human Failure"; Piper. Chu Lin, "Friendly Fire Doesn't Shoot Down Wang". The video circulating online shows a Syrian military helicopter being shot down in Idlib, Syria, by Turkish-backed rebels on Feb. 11, 2020, according to several news reports. I think that was to cover up for the pilots. You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. After U.S. military presence ceased at Giebelstadt, due to base closures, the monument was moved to Fort Rucker, Alabama on 10 March 2006, and rededicated on 14 April 2007. Eighteen shots followed, with Mr. Kostov falling backward into the grass, dust plumes around him as the bullets struck. Above him stood men with Kalashnikov rifles who had tracked him down to the only cover near where his helicopter had been shot down in the desert. January 23, 2007 / 9:24 AM / CBS/AP. He questioned the DoD representatives as to why compensation had not also been offered to the U.S. family members. Reread the whole thread and show me where I wrote that??? Low-flying helicopters do much of the transport for military personnel and foreign civilians across Iraq, avoiding dangerous roads. CNN shows the scene near there now, 'US will have to send their sons and daughters': See what critics edited out of Zelensky's remarks, Satellite images show changes Russia are making to occupied nuclear plant, Wagner Group propaganda video: Recruits will be 'in good shape for the upcoming WW3', Video shows fire break out at Russian oil depot, 'It is a clusterf**k': Russian solider's eyewitness account of war in Ukraine, Russia's military soldiers send a surprising message to Wagner Group, See how Ukrainian team works to defuse mines left by Russians, Watch Russian tank operator run to safety after being attacked, Russian soldier: 'We ask for help. Both helicopters were fitted with external, 230-US-gallon (870L) fuel tanks on sponsons mounted beside each side door with each tank emblazoned with large American flags. Captain Dierdre Bell, an air surveillance officer on the AWACS, noticed that the Black Hawks' radar and IFF returns had disappeared and sent an electronic "attention arrow" to Wang's scope. Chu Lin, "Friendly Fire Doesn't Shoot Down Wang"; Piper. [48], On 20 June 1995 the USAF announced a "nullification" verdict by Wang's 10-member court-martial jury, effectively acquitting Wang of the charges. He found Art's helicopter shot down in a small alley. A new video showing a Russian Mi-8 helicopter being shot down by Ukrainian forces underscores how the Russians have failed to gain air superiority more than eight months after launching their full . Roth, whose committee chairmanship was scheduled to end the next month, was told by the U.S. Department of Justice that the U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno, would not support him if he chose to take the dispute with the DoD to court. Ukrainian Armed Forces shared a video showing a Russian helicopter being shot down. Their IFF systems responded negatively to the attempt to identify the contact on Mode I. Most of the 40 witnesses testified with a grant of immunity. [45], During the trial, evidence was presented that Wang often had trouble staying awake during AWACS missions. Fogleman's investigation led to several of the officers involved in the incident receiving further administrative discipline. One new winner* is announced every week! When questioned by board investigators as to who was responsible for tracking the helicopters, Tracy said, "I cannot tell you that. LOL, What exactly is a Blackwater helicopter Blackwater is largest civilan security contractor in Iraq. The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television said the 1920 Revolution Brigades insurgent group claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter and showed a video taken by a cell phone of a mass . In addition to Halcli's screen, the friendly helicopter symbols were visible on the radar screens of Wang, Tracy, and USAF Major Doug Martin. Richardson was promoted to brigadier general on 1July 1999 and retired on 1September 2001. an off-camera man asked in Arabic. At this time the two Black Hawks had entered a deep valley and were cruising at a speed of 130 knots (150mph; 240km/h) about 200 feet (60m) above the ground. Nullification is not a finding of innocence, but instead it is a refusal to convict on the stated charges. An Eagle Flight officer later testified he had been told by the CTF's chief of staff, a USAF officer, that the army Black Hawk unit was not considered to be part of OPC. Halcli and his superior officer, Captain Jim Wang, the AWACS's senior director, added "friendly helicopter" tags to their radar scopes, noted that both helicopters were displaying identification friend or foe (IFF) Mode I and Mode II signals, and then suspended the radar symbols after the Black Hawks disappeared from their scopes upon landing at the MCC at 09:24. They wanted to kill something because it had been ages since an F-15 had shot anything down. Although not explicitly stated by USAF leaders, it appears Wickson was not charged but May was because Wickson had testified that he was sure of his identification of the two Black Hawks as hostile Hinds, while May had stated that he was not sure of Wickson's identification but had allowed the engagement to proceed anyway. - 7 - 7. Video Appears to Show Insurgents Kill a Downed Pilot, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/23/world/middleeast/video-appears-to-show-insurgents-kill-a-downed-pilot.html. Bacon, "DoD Press Briefing"; Schmitt, "Chief of Air Force Grounds 5 Pilots"; Piper. They certainly can't grasp the concept that we are trying to show them a better way of living. Wilson acknowledged Wickson's report with a "clear there" response, meaning he had no radar contacts in that area. At this time, the U.S. government did not offer compensation to the families of the U.S. victims, citing the Feres precedent, which prevents lawsuits against the U.S. from injured service members or families of personnel killed due to military negligence. The helicopter was shot down Tuesday over a predominantly Sunni neighborhood, a senior Iraqi defense official said. The pilots of two United States Air Force (USAF) F-15 fighter aircraft, operating under the control of a USAF airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, misidentified two United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as Iraqi Mil Mi-24 "Hind" helicopters. He quickly added, "See if there are any Americans left.". Ukraine releases video of Russian helicopter being shot down. Ben Hurst. We have nowhere else to turn', Hear what CIA director thinks about Putin. The GAO report, however, found that the USAF investigation had failed to note that Wickson and May neglected to report their contact with unidentified aircraft to the Duke (Martin) aboard the AWACS as required by the ROE. Sub-humans. "[36], On 8September 1994 the DoD announced the actions it would take in response to the investigation's findings. Regulary military hates these contractors for the amount of money they are making, but's its very lucrative if you're a soldier-of-fortune type of guy, and can get back home in one piece. For this reason, after serious mishaps the USAF usually also conducts a separate safety investigation, in which the results are not publicly released and witness testimony is immune from prosecution. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Novak, "Past Fiasco dims General's new Third Star", reported in "Soldiers for Truth" and in Diehl. Here's the reality, Russia are making gains in Bakhmut. [3], On 14 April 1994, at 07:36 local time, a USAF E-3 AWACS aircraft from the 963d Airborne Air Control Squadron (based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma) departed Incirlik Air Base (AB), Turkey in support of OPC. [39], At his hearing, May changed his testimony from what he gave to the accident investigation board, stating that he had positively identified the two helicopters as Iraqi Hinds. Colonel Douglas J. Richardson, USAF, was the director of operations for the combined air forces. those fukin bastards..we should nuke the entitre area after evacuating those we deem civilians. Schmitt, "Chief of Air Force Grounds 5 Pilots"; Snook.