Scottish soldiers from the Black Watch have been mobilised to secure a crashed US Army Chinook helicopter and fend off Taliban attacks.
The chopper suffered a hard landing in the notorious Upper Sangin Valley. Soldiers from Alpha (Grenadier) Company of the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland were then mobilised at short notice to secure the crash site.
A number of UK and Afghan troops had been on the troop-carrying aircraft, and although it was badly damaged no-one was injured.
To secure the area, recover the craft and prevent it falling into Taliban hands, 120 men from Alpha (Grenadier) Company were flown to the desert site.
But as a specialist American recovery team worked to prepare the Chinook for removal, insurgents gathered.
They were deterred by devastating strikes by US attack helicopters fighter jets, killing and injuring several insurgents. One badly injured man was subsequently treated by 3 SCOTS medics and airlifted to an ISAF medical facility.
The helicopter - pictured above - was eventually removed by slinging it under another helicopter and slowly lifting it to the relative safety of Kandahar Airfield.
Major Matt Munro, Officer Commanding Alpha (Grenadier) Company said: "I'm delighted that this operation went so well. Given that we have worked so closely with the American aviators of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade throughout our seven month tour I'm pleased that we were able to play an important part in the recovery of one of their airframes.
"It was a team effort that highlighted our high-levels of preparedness and combat readiness."
Major Neil Kugler, from Gilroy in California, Operations Officer of Task Force Tallon, 82nd Combat aviation Brigade: "The troopers of TF Tallon and the jocks of the Black Watch 3 SCOTS Battlegroup developed a great professional relationship over the past four months during the conduct of numerous combat air assault operations.
"It was fitting that the final combat mission in Afghanistan for the Black Watch was to recover one of our damaged aircraft."
Lance Corporal Aaron Graham, 20, from Kirkcaldy, added: "This was unlike any other job we have done out here. Once again we produced the goods and were pleased to keep the Taliban firmly on the back foot".
