As a gunner in Apache attack helicopters, the royal flew scores of missions with his fingers on the triggers of rockets, missiles and a 30mm cannon.
And now that the 28-year-old is bound for the UK after his second deployment to the war-torn country, it can be reported he took enemy fighters "out of the game" during his 20-week posting.
"Yeah, so lots of people have," he said matter-of-factly, after being asked if he had killed from the cockpit. "Everyone's fired a certain amount."
Harry, known as Captain Wales in the Army, was sent on missions over Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, from supporting allied troops fighting the Taliban at close quarters to accompanying British Chinook and US Black Hawk helicopters on casualty evacuation missions.
His work as a JTAC (joint terminal attack controller) during his first tour of duty in 2007-08 saw him call in airstrikes on enemy positions, which he watched unfold on a monitor nicknamed "Kill TV". This time he was in the hot seat.
"If there's people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we'll take them out of the game, I suppose," he said.
The prince's deployment with 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, allowed him to step back from the public eye. Life in the Army is "as normal as it's going to get" for Harry and he relishes having the chance to muck in as "one of the guys", but he said his father, the Prince of Wales, is always reminding him of his position.
The current third-in-line to the throne was in Afghanistan when it was announced the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting their first child. He said he was thrilled for them and "can't wait to be an uncle".
