Missile launcher found in Escondido Dumpster

Missile launcher found in Escondido Dumpster

abclocal.go.com

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KABC) -- A missile launcher was found in a Dumpster in Escondido on Friday afternoon, wrapped in plastic and surrounded by debris.

A worker found the missile launcher and reported it to authorities, who say they believe the launcher is an anti-tank weapon used by the Marine Corps and Army.

An investigation is under way to determine who put the launcher in the Dumpster.

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This is an AT4, an anti tank weapon. This isn't something you find in any dumpster. The launcher appeared to have been fired, which makes me wonder when and where was this fired?

Its a small projectile with a maximum range around 2000 meters, so its unlikely to be connected with any recent "rocket trail" sightings.

More info about AT4s here: www.globalsecurity.org...



abclocal.go.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by MikeboydUS

Probably just some Marine contractor who was hired to dispose of used weapons, etc., tried to sell the used launcher on the black market, couldn't sell it, got scared, and dumped it hoping no one would ever notice it.

Nothing to worry about, I'm sure.

Originally posted by MikeboydUS

This is an AT4, an anti tank weapon. This isn't something you find in any dumpster. The launcher appeared to have been fired, which makes me wonder when and where was this fired?

Its a small projectile with a maximum range around 2000 meters, so its unlikely to be connected with any recent "rocket trail" sightings.

More info about AT4s here: www.globalsecurity.org...



abclocal.go.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

edit on 9/1/11 by MikeboydUS because: .

I've fired one of these puppies before, and let me tell you something, if this was really fired and no one reported the incredibly loud launch and subsequent explosion...

It is very, very loud. Very, very dangerous, and your average person isn't going to be toting one of these things around. This isn't something that you can get at a gun show. This isn't something readily available on the black market. This isn't something that you would shoot off for fun, because the chances you would get another one are slim-to-none.

Very strange story indeed.

Note : The devastation these things cause inside the target is unreal.

Perhaps it was left in the dumpster as a means of exchange between two parties? Then the question remains, what did it fire upon? Perhaps it was used in the military for training or combat and subsequently fell into the wrong hands? Weird...

Perhaps a vet brought one back from Iraq or elsewhere, then here he sat with a highly illegal and very deadly weapon for which he had no practcal use....
Wouldnt it make ense to fire the projectile off, thus rendering the system inactive as far as an inadvertent discharge goes...
The chuck the weapon launcher where it most probably would be fond aand turned in to the LEOs.
Thats one guess anyways...
Now ya wanna hear a more adventurous one?
One with a car chase and gangsters and terrorists all trying to get their hands on this thing to destroy the USA?
But my friend peter, he outsmarts them all and ends up with this rocket he wants to use for his sons science challenge.....well......everything is going well till his other son Stewie, and their family dog, get into a feud with the neighbours.....(some very nice black people who live next door...)
The plot begins to get out of hand when Stewie offers to sell the rocket to an undercover DHS operative, his bigger sister, meg.

California, huh - my guess it was used for the launch off the coast of California - whoever did it got scared of being caught with the launcher and dumped it. When was that November?

A weapon of this stature would surely have a serial number on it to make finding where it came from an easy task. However, the question is how did such a powerful weapon that can do a lot of damage to whatever it fires upon was doing in a dumpster? Was it still loaded or empty?

reply to post by DigitalSea


There should of been a serial number on it, at least at one time.

The projectile had already been fired from the AT4.

See? I see it different.
A Missle Launcher has been found in a dumpster. Was he a private? Awol? Dead...Alive?
He work for Marines or Army? What Rank?
After George Bush and White House Buddies, am I wrong to question how this as written?
lifelinesent.blogspot.com...
Am I being paranoid or asking symantics?
OH A piece of machinery that launches rockets was found in a dumpster. Better beef up security.
Just sayin.
ATS friends watch and want to know.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


I would of kept it hidden in my house as a decoration in a glass box

Big Deal... When I was in the Army we use to have spent Law Rocket tubes laying around all the time. They are used for training purposes, it's not like you can reload these spent tubes, they are fire and throw away.. But I guess the media needs to spin this crap.. Don't buy in to this media hype Sh*t

Here's more info on the AT-4

militaryfactory.com

The M136's cartridge round is an 84mm High-Explosive Anti-Tank munition with a rocket-type cartridge, fin stabilization and can achieve free flight once it leaves the launcher (not a wire-guided munition). The launcher itself is a single-piece tube system wrapped in fiberglass and is disposable after one shot.

Pretty sure it's a one time fire deal and the tubes aren't illegal to possess.. as a matter of fact they make great lamps

www.worthpoint.com...

There is only one suitable scenario where this is capable of leaving a military post.

The military stores all munitions in secure depots closely controlled and inventoried by an Ammo Section, or what are called "AHA's" or Ammo Handling Areas. Every base has an AHA that is active 24/7 and under guard. If any AT4 escaped from this AHA, it was on the shift of 3-4 soldiers guarding it. They would have to be either responsible or accomplices.

It is also something to mention that the most plausible location for this munition to have come from is NTC (National Training Center) where most deploying units train in force on force, scenario driven warfare. Of course AT4's aren't shot at actual human targets, but it could be part of any number of scenarios.

It is also something to mention, that it is very easy to attach RFID tags to these "sensitive items". A sensitive item is any item that, if unaccounted for, will force a closure of the entire base until it is found. Yes, when one of these devices is unaccounted for, the entire base goes on lockdown. Civillian or not, you aren't going anywhere.

This leaves me to conclude that either this base isn't up with the times or this was sold on the black market.

Furthermore, this device would not produce the effects seen by the alleged missle launch.

reply to post by crazydaisy


Surely people would've heard something that loud, eh?

Unless they shot it somewhere offshore, but then their dumba$$e$ shoulda just dumped it overboard, ya think?

That's what I would've done.

reply to post by stupid girl



Dumping it overboard would seem the thing to do unless they were planning on using it again

Originally posted by MikeboydUS
reply to post by DigitalSea

 

There should of been a serial number on it, at least at one time.

The projectile had already been fired from the AT4.

edit on 9/1/11 by MikeboydUS because: .

How did they know/how could they tell where it had been fired from?

I'm not familiar with these, so I don't know the particulars about this type of weapon & if it is tactical specific (like, can only be fired from certain machinery, etc.)

Originally posted by crazydaisy
reply to post by stupid girl

 

Dumping it overboard would seem the thing to do unless they were planning on using it again

Maybe they were really hard-up for a lamp & the Mrs. saw it as garbage fit for the dump and threw it out while the Mr. was at bomb making class or something.....lol....

The AT-4 is a two part weapon with the tube that fires it and the projectile being those two parts. Once fired, the tube is useless, and is still considered a sensitive item.

Key Point To Note :

It is a long time joke, in the Army at least, to send a cherry (private who has not experienced combat and/or paid his GI Bill off) to a senior NCO with the question of where to find more AT-4 rounds. The senior NCO then usually sends the cherry to the senior armorer, who sends him to the senior ammo sergeant, who sends him back to the NCO that originally sent him. The cherry is smoked (forced to do either humiliating and rigorous exercises for an extended period of time past his known limits) at each stop. The point being, that once fired, there is no such thing as a replacement round.

Also, these types of weapons have serial numbers, because all sensitive items require one to be catalogued and the weapon's tour of duty will have an easily traceable log to the last known person to sign for it. That person will ultimately be responsible for losing it. I already forsee a military-wide accountability of all sensitive items. Should be greuling. Layouts and inventories, probably costing the tax-payer billions in lost time. Of course, what action the military takes doesn't cost billions?

reply to post by sbctinfantry


Unless the last person to sign it out was bogus.....