It was the first time they acknowledged that insurgents could be using complex weapons to attack its helicopters in Iraq.
A spokesman did not say what brought the Marine Ch-46 Sea Knight down on February 7, but an insurgent video released at the time showed what appeared to be a missile hitting the twin-rotor helicopter, sending it plummeting to the ground.
The spokesman, Major General William Caldwell, made the statement at a news briefing in Baghdad that concentrated on presenting evidence of what the U.S. military says is proof of Iran’s involvement in arming Iraqi militants.
But Caldwell stressed he was not making “any inferences” about the source of the weaponry used against the Sea Knight.
Seven U.S. military and private security helicopters, including the Sea Knight, have been shot down since January 20, killing 28 people.
The U.S. military has said that in at least six of those instances they were brought down my automatic machinegun fire from the ground.
The military, which relies heavily on helicopters to transport troops and equipment to avoid Iraq’s dangerous roads, has said it is adjusting its tactics in the wake of the downings.
