Iraq’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) is wondering why the U.S. military’s counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) installations appeared to have been inoperable during Sunday morning’s attack on the prime minister’s residence.
When active, the C-RAM system issues a siren alarm to warn of potential incoming attacks, and fires off rapid-fire machine guns to shoot down hostile air targets.
The system has been repeatedly used to protect Green Zone airspace since installed. It has failed several times, as when last February a volley of rockets launched into the Green Zone did not activate it, reportedly after the rocket trajectory was projected not to hit within the area of the diplomatic compound.
