What is the ammo to kill ratio in Iraq?

Answer 1

As is "normal", figures will vary from year to year, and especially from source to source. But more often than not, the figures given closest to the date of occurrence appear to be the most accurate. During the early 1970's the figure of 3,000 rounds of small arms fire, per enemy casualty, was given. This had a profound effect on individual rifleman tactics. Shortly after these figures were accepted by the US Army, the M-16 rifle's full automatic switch was modified for short bursts. Until there is another change made, Vietnam will be the FIRST and LAST time in history in which the individual rifleman had "Rock an Roll" (full automatic capability).

Answer 2

For the air war; it was 2 US Jets shot down per 1 North Vietnamese MIG shot down. This figure changed after the US Navy's Top Gun (aerial combat) school opened in 1969. For the ground war (involving US Forces), the US almost always considered a kill ratio of 10 to 1 in the US's favor. Reasons: 1. We had the artillery. 2. We had the air power. 3. We had the firepower on the ground. 4. The enemy dragged their Kia's away and/or buried them; therefore we knew there were more bodies than we found. Consequently, the score was higher. If we found 50 bodies; then we estimated they buried the other 50; body count for the battle was therefore 100. 5. The US High Command demanded a high body count.

Answer 3

250,000 rounds per kill, compared to 25,000 rounds per kill during WWII.