Britain’s Prince Harry Returning to Afghanistan as a Helicopter Pilot
Great Britain's Prince Harry is going back to war in Afghanistan. The young prince who is third in line to the British throne is a trained and qualified helicopter pilot, so British military chiefs - and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II - have given him the green light to return to duty against the Taliban.
The 26-year-old Prince - known to the military as Captain Wales - will shoot Hellfire missiles at the Taliban from his helicopter when he returns. Once he finishes battle and weapons training, Harry will take the controls of the world's most sophisticated attack helicopter. His job will be to seek and destroy Taliban positions and provide air cover for ground troops.
Military officials admit that as a highly placed royal, Harry is well aware that he a "high value target" for Taliban insurgents who would love nothing more than capturing him and holding him hostage.
A military source says if Captain Wales' chopper malfunctions or is shot down "it would be a race between the Taliban and coalition forces to get to the Prince."
This will be Harry's second deployment to Afghanistan. He served ten weeks with the Blues and Royals before news of his presence leaked out on the internet - and the disappointed Prince was pulled out and brought home.
This isn't going to happen immediately. A final decision on Harry's deployment will come early next year. Sources say depending on conditions in the war zone, he should be in action by next April.
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