What’s friendly fire?

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“Friendly fire” is a military term that refers to the throwing of a weapon in the direction of fellow soldiers or allies, often causing injury or death. In some quarters, the terms “amicide”, to kill a friend, or “fratricide”, to kill brothers in arms, are preferred to the euphemism “friendly fire”. These incidents have been a part of gun warfare since its inception, although the development of more sophisticated and deadly weapons, especially those that can be used at longer ranges, has made the problem more widespread.

exceptions

In the military, the definition of friendly fire excludes incidents in which members of the military deliberately fire on their allies or fellow soldiers. Accidental shooting, such as when the weapon was fired accidentally, is also not included. The definition typically includes only shots fired during active engagements with the enemy. Known friendly fire incidents and incidents are investigated to learn why they happened in an effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Possible causes

Many things can lead to friendly fire. One of the most common is miscommunication, which can lead to unclear orders or lack of knowledge of troop movements. Proper battlefield communication can be very challenging at times, especially in a chaotic environment. Radios, field phones and signaling systems are used to deal with the problem, which becomes much more complicated when multiple forces such as ground troops and aircraft are coordinating an attack. When adding allied troops to the mix, maintaining lines of communication can be even more difficult, especially if there are language barriers.

Poor terrain and visibility also contribute to friendly fire. Soldiers often have to fight in unfamiliar terrain. When fired upon by enemy troops, the direction from which the shots are coming can be confusing. The addition of bad weather and combat stress can lead to an incident where a soldier mistakenly believes he is shooting at the enemy. When a leader issues unclear or ambiguous orders, this can also be problematic when combined with conditions that prevent soldiers from using their own judgment.

Frequency

The exact number of friendly fire incidents that occur during combat is unclear. It can sometimes be difficult to determine whether a soldier was killed by friend or foe, and soldiers have been known to cover up these incidents. Estimates suggest that 2-25% of war-related injuries and deaths may be caused by friendly fire. Most military organizations provide extensive training to their soldiers to try to prevent these incidents, which can affect troop morale, mission success, and public image as well as cause death or injury.

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