Helicopter in Iraq hit by sophisticated weapon-US

BAGHDAD, Feb 14 (Reuters) A Marine Ch-46 Sea Knight transport helicopter that crashed in Iraq last week was brought down by a ''sophisticated piece of weaponry'', the US military said today.

It was the first time the US military had acknowledged that insurgents could be using sophisticated weapons to attack US helicopters. Previously they have said that helicopters had been hit by only machine gunfire.

US military spokesman Major General William Caldwell made the statement during a news briefing in Baghdad. He did not say what brought the helicopter down.

REUTERS KD RN2011