Fears for Pentagon air power as Iran claims drone capture
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"I wonder if anyone has the minerals to 'spoof' this on E-Bay now"
Don't try it
What Not to Sell on eBay: Drones | Danger Room | Wired.com
Don't try it
What Not to Sell on eBay: Drones | Danger Room | Wired.com
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theres quite a bit of anti-USA rhetoric on the FARS agency website today
but two are notable
"
Fars News Agency :: 90 US Drones Brought Down in 4 Years
90 US Drones Brought Down in 4 Years
TEHRAN (FNA)- The number of the hi-tech drones that the US has lost since 2007 in combat or while spying over other world countries reached 90 with the last one hacked by Iranian armed forces and brought down in the Eastern parts of the country almost intact 10 days ago."
Fars News Agency :: Iran to Prosecute American Supporters of Terrorism
Iran to Prosecute American Supporters of Terrorism
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran announced on Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit with international bodies against the two former US officials who had called on the Obama administration to assassinate the Islamic Republic's top military commanders........
The two US officials are namely retired US Army general Jack Keane, and former CIA agent Reuel Marc Gerecht who is now a senior advisor to the Congress and is also with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think-tank"
but two are notable
"
Fars News Agency :: 90 US Drones Brought Down in 4 Years
90 US Drones Brought Down in 4 Years
TEHRAN (FNA)- The number of the hi-tech drones that the US has lost since 2007 in combat or while spying over other world countries reached 90 with the last one hacked by Iranian armed forces and brought down in the Eastern parts of the country almost intact 10 days ago."
Fars News Agency :: Iran to Prosecute American Supporters of Terrorism
Iran to Prosecute American Supporters of Terrorism
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran announced on Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit with international bodies against the two former US officials who had called on the Obama administration to assassinate the Islamic Republic's top military commanders........
The two US officials are namely retired US Army general Jack Keane, and former CIA agent Reuel Marc Gerecht who is now a senior advisor to the Congress and is also with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think-tank"
Glojo wrote,
You do seem a bit 'befuddled'!
The helo at the Bin Laden compound came down over the compound. It couldn't take off due to the fact that it clipped the wall resulting in the tail shearing off. The tail ended up on the outside of the compound wall with the rest coming down inside the compound. The major part of the wreckage was destroyed in place but the tail on the other side remained intact.
The Pakistanis attempted to shroud the tail section on the outside of the compound.
The main portion of the helicopter was destroyed in place after the mission was complete.
Reference the US Army AH-64 Apache in Iraq. It was serial 99-5135 and later destroyed by US airstrike.
Apache down: the hunt for a sensitive US copter / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com
"We directed an aircraft to the site, but when it got there, there were too many clouds," says US Army Lt. Col. Eric Nelson, air-operations officer for V Corps. "The pilot could see the helicopter [on the ground between the clouds], but he couldn't get a good lock on it to shoot it."
So recovery officials changed plans. They decided instead to use long-range artillery fire. But the crash site was close to US troops, and it took some time to clear the artillery barrage with commanders in the area.
By then, however, the Iraqis had loaded the helicopter onto a transport truck. For two days, US officials lost track of the Longbow.
At this point of the story, military officials choose their words very carefully. "Someone saw it and reported it," is all they will say. But it is no secret that a significant number of Special Forces troops were working behind enemy lines.
The Iraqis had transported the helicopter to a gully near what then was the Saddam International Airport. They covered it with camouflage tenting.
"Once we located it, we put an Air Force jet on it, and this time he destroyed it," says Colonel Nelson, who also answers to the call sign "Evil-6." "You want it blown apart. We didn't want to disable it. We wanted to totally destroy it so its parts couldn't be exploited."
The pilot dropped a 1,000-pound bomb.
About a week later, the 3rd Infantry Division pushed through the area, capturing the airport. A special detail was sent to recover whatever was left of the Apache.
Today, it is barely recognizable as a helicopter - a twisted hulk of green and black metal about the size of a small dump truck. The blades are doubled over and shattered. The only recognizable piece of equipment is the protective Kevlar shield that supports the pilot's seat. The seat itself is gone.
The wreckage is awaiting transport to American salvage specialists in Kuwait. "We don't leave our combat junk out on the battlefield," Nelson says. "The Iraqis won't have to clean up after us."
The Apache was one of 31 sent on a deep-attack mission to hit element of the Republican Medina Division near the city of Karbala. They were met with intense anti-aircraft fire and the crew of serial 99-5135 was forced to make an emergency landing. Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young and Chief Warrant Officer David S. Williams were captured and later rescued.
The Iraqi Farmer, Ali Abid Minqash, featured by the Iraq Ministry of Information in the propaganda footage later gave an interview.
Minqash told the paper that he had come across the aircraft in his field early one morning.
"I didn't shoot down an Apache or anything else. All that happened was that I went to the field, as I usually do early in the morning, and was surprised to find some bodies on the ground.
"I began to rub my eyes to make sure that what I was seeing was true or whether I was imagining it," he said.
"When I realised that it was really true, I was overcome by fear and rushed to the nearest government post to inform them that there was a plane in my field.
"A large number of [Baath] party members and security men came with me to investigate. They told me that it was an American Apache aircraft and made me stay with them until someone who they said was a senior official arrived. I didn't know who he was.
"They asked me to say what you have heard on the TV satellite channels - that I shot down the plane with an old gun, a Brno."
BBC NEWS | Middle East | The 'Apache' farmer's tale
The Iraqi propaganda machine tried to use edited footage to claim another Apache captured later in the conflict.
From a recount of the mission.
As he pulled the trigger to lay down suppressive fire, Ron suddenly realized their problem was even worse. He had a total malfunction of his weapons systems. No chain gun, no rockets, and in the midst of the biggest firefight imaginable. At that point, the battle became very real. People were shooting at the helicopters from every direction. Feeling like a sitting duck, Dave and Ron flew big circles trying to evade enemy fire. Although Dave could still shoot from the back seat, Ron could do little more than provide an extra pair of eyes. It only got worse.
From the frantic radio traffic, it became obvious that Ron's helicopter had gotten separated from the rest of Charlie Company. They had rallied to the south at Checkpoint 17. Ron and Dave were alone at Checkpoint 19. Large red 14mm rounds streaked by the canopy and Ron became aware of the plink, plink sounds of random bullets scoring hits on their Apache. In desperation, Dave turned to the south to attempt a retreat from the area. Instantly, the two men heard an explosion and felt a violent shudder all through the airframe. The Apache had taken a direct hit in one of its two engines.
With the loss of an engine, the chopper could still fly, but only at a greatly reduced speed. More plinks were heard and smoke began to fill the cockpit. The controls went sloppy and the Up Front Display screen started scrolling a continuous stream of warning messages.
"Rotor low," warned the automatic voice annunciation system, indicating that rotor rpms were dropping. The helicopter was going down. In twenty seconds, the chopper impacted the terrain, tail first.
Dave had taken a shrapnel hit in the foot, but the two men were otherwise unhurt in the crash. It seemed to be their only piece of good luck. In seconds, Ron and Dave bolted from the aircraft and sprinted away from the crash site. A ditch afforded them some temporary protection so they jumped in. A quick inspection of Dave's foot showed the shrapnel injury to be minor. With random shots from Iraqi AK-47s zipping by, Ron attempted to make emergency radio contact with American controllers.
Russell Still's Home Page
In regards to the RQ-170 aircraft have landed themselves after malfunction or in this case after ejection.
F-106 Delta Dart - 58-0787 Pilotless Landing
How long do we want the list of US military equipment having 'technical' issues that have caused them to crash or be destroyed?? My befuddled memory tells me that the last case of a 'technical' issue comparable to this was the helicopter that 'could not take off' after it developed 'technical' issues in the compound at the home of Bin Laden. Before that I can recall an Apache aircraft that was allegedly shot down over Iraq by a very old farmer with an antiquated rifle. The US claimed the thing had been forced to land because of 'technical' issues and the aircraft had subsequently been destroyed by an F-15E. The problem with that claim was that those of us with satellite TV saw this same helicopter on the back of a low loader being driven into an embassy compound in Baghdad!!
The helo at the Bin Laden compound came down over the compound. It couldn't take off due to the fact that it clipped the wall resulting in the tail shearing off. The tail ended up on the outside of the compound wall with the rest coming down inside the compound. The major part of the wreckage was destroyed in place but the tail on the other side remained intact.
The Pakistanis attempted to shroud the tail section on the outside of the compound.
The main portion of the helicopter was destroyed in place after the mission was complete.
Reference the US Army AH-64 Apache in Iraq. It was serial 99-5135 and later destroyed by US airstrike.
Apache down: the hunt for a sensitive US copter / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com
"We directed an aircraft to the site, but when it got there, there were too many clouds," says US Army Lt. Col. Eric Nelson, air-operations officer for V Corps. "The pilot could see the helicopter [on the ground between the clouds], but he couldn't get a good lock on it to shoot it."
So recovery officials changed plans. They decided instead to use long-range artillery fire. But the crash site was close to US troops, and it took some time to clear the artillery barrage with commanders in the area.
By then, however, the Iraqis had loaded the helicopter onto a transport truck. For two days, US officials lost track of the Longbow.
At this point of the story, military officials choose their words very carefully. "Someone saw it and reported it," is all they will say. But it is no secret that a significant number of Special Forces troops were working behind enemy lines.
The Iraqis had transported the helicopter to a gully near what then was the Saddam International Airport. They covered it with camouflage tenting.
"Once we located it, we put an Air Force jet on it, and this time he destroyed it," says Colonel Nelson, who also answers to the call sign "Evil-6." "You want it blown apart. We didn't want to disable it. We wanted to totally destroy it so its parts couldn't be exploited."
The pilot dropped a 1,000-pound bomb.
About a week later, the 3rd Infantry Division pushed through the area, capturing the airport. A special detail was sent to recover whatever was left of the Apache.
Today, it is barely recognizable as a helicopter - a twisted hulk of green and black metal about the size of a small dump truck. The blades are doubled over and shattered. The only recognizable piece of equipment is the protective Kevlar shield that supports the pilot's seat. The seat itself is gone.
The wreckage is awaiting transport to American salvage specialists in Kuwait. "We don't leave our combat junk out on the battlefield," Nelson says. "The Iraqis won't have to clean up after us."
The Apache was one of 31 sent on a deep-attack mission to hit element of the Republican Medina Division near the city of Karbala. They were met with intense anti-aircraft fire and the crew of serial 99-5135 was forced to make an emergency landing. Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young and Chief Warrant Officer David S. Williams were captured and later rescued.
The Iraqi Farmer, Ali Abid Minqash, featured by the Iraq Ministry of Information in the propaganda footage later gave an interview.
Minqash told the paper that he had come across the aircraft in his field early one morning.
"I didn't shoot down an Apache or anything else. All that happened was that I went to the field, as I usually do early in the morning, and was surprised to find some bodies on the ground.
"I began to rub my eyes to make sure that what I was seeing was true or whether I was imagining it," he said.
"When I realised that it was really true, I was overcome by fear and rushed to the nearest government post to inform them that there was a plane in my field.
"A large number of [Baath] party members and security men came with me to investigate. They told me that it was an American Apache aircraft and made me stay with them until someone who they said was a senior official arrived. I didn't know who he was.
"They asked me to say what you have heard on the TV satellite channels - that I shot down the plane with an old gun, a Brno."
BBC NEWS | Middle East | The 'Apache' farmer's tale
The Iraqi propaganda machine tried to use edited footage to claim another Apache captured later in the conflict.
From a recount of the mission.
As he pulled the trigger to lay down suppressive fire, Ron suddenly realized their problem was even worse. He had a total malfunction of his weapons systems. No chain gun, no rockets, and in the midst of the biggest firefight imaginable. At that point, the battle became very real. People were shooting at the helicopters from every direction. Feeling like a sitting duck, Dave and Ron flew big circles trying to evade enemy fire. Although Dave could still shoot from the back seat, Ron could do little more than provide an extra pair of eyes. It only got worse.
From the frantic radio traffic, it became obvious that Ron's helicopter had gotten separated from the rest of Charlie Company. They had rallied to the south at Checkpoint 17. Ron and Dave were alone at Checkpoint 19. Large red 14mm rounds streaked by the canopy and Ron became aware of the plink, plink sounds of random bullets scoring hits on their Apache. In desperation, Dave turned to the south to attempt a retreat from the area. Instantly, the two men heard an explosion and felt a violent shudder all through the airframe. The Apache had taken a direct hit in one of its two engines.
With the loss of an engine, the chopper could still fly, but only at a greatly reduced speed. More plinks were heard and smoke began to fill the cockpit. The controls went sloppy and the Up Front Display screen started scrolling a continuous stream of warning messages.
"Rotor low," warned the automatic voice annunciation system, indicating that rotor rpms were dropping. The helicopter was going down. In twenty seconds, the chopper impacted the terrain, tail first.
Dave had taken a shrapnel hit in the foot, but the two men were otherwise unhurt in the crash. It seemed to be their only piece of good luck. In seconds, Ron and Dave bolted from the aircraft and sprinted away from the crash site. A ditch afforded them some temporary protection so they jumped in. A quick inspection of Dave's foot showed the shrapnel injury to be minor. With random shots from Iraqi AK-47s zipping by, Ron attempted to make emergency radio contact with American controllers.
Russell Still's Home Page
In regards to the RQ-170 aircraft have landed themselves after malfunction or in this case after ejection.
F-106 Delta Dart - 58-0787 Pilotless Landing
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and if the Chinese or Russians are sitting over the border with high power jammers, perhaps the US are monitoring their transmissions and the drones are bait.
The conspiracy goes on.......
The conspiracy goes on.......
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Dropping like flies
VICTORIA Dec 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. drone aircraft crashed at Seychelles International Airport on Tuesday, the U.S. embassy in Mauritius said.
"A U.S. Air Force remote-piloted MQ-9 crashed at the Seychelles International Airport in Mahe. The MQ-9 was not armed and no injuries were reported," the embassy said in a statement.
The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) confirmed the incident and said that the plane was on a "routine patrol" and had crashed because of mechanical failure.
The U.S. embassy did not comment on the plane's mission and said that the cause of the crash was unknown.
Iran announced on Dec. 4 it had downed a U.S. drone in the eastern part of the country, near Afghanistan. It has since shown the plane on television and said it is close to cracking its technological secrets. (Reporting by George Thande; Writing by Barry Malone)
"A U.S. Air Force remote-piloted MQ-9 crashed at the Seychelles International Airport in Mahe. The MQ-9 was not armed and no injuries were reported," the embassy said in a statement.
The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) confirmed the incident and said that the plane was on a "routine patrol" and had crashed because of mechanical failure.
The U.S. embassy did not comment on the plane's mission and said that the cause of the crash was unknown.
Iran announced on Dec. 4 it had downed a U.S. drone in the eastern part of the country, near Afghanistan. It has since shown the plane on television and said it is close to cracking its technological secrets. (Reporting by George Thande; Writing by Barry Malone)
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Originally Posted by TEEJ
You do seem a bit 'befuddled'!
Thank you for posting the pictures and I'm certain that once those images hit the internet it made the US story about 'technical issues' look somewhat silly. But I can assure you that the official claim was 'technical issues' until such time as those pictures were in the public domain.
The Apache aircraft I am talking about was filmed on a low loader and this truck was entering the grounds of what looked like a large embassy. My thoughts there are that this aircraft would have been stripped of any technology deemed to be of interest and then it may or may not have then been taken elsewhere.
This footage was shown either the same day or the day after that claim by Iraq regarding the old man shooting one such aircraft down. Do I believe that story about this person shooting it down?
My thoughts are that it was highly unlikely, but do I believe the US bombed that Apache? I think your link answers that question.
glojo, "technical issues" is an obvious deliberately bland catch-all term.
Such technical issues could include e.g. a high density altitude inability to maintain a heavyweight hover, leading to descent into an obstacle, such as a compund wall.
Which is what US statements a few hours later say happened.
There's no inconsistency or 'silliness' that I can see. What am I missing?
Such technical issues could include e.g. a high density altitude inability to maintain a heavyweight hover, leading to descent into an obstacle, such as a compund wall.
Which is what US statements a few hours later say happened.
There's no inconsistency or 'silliness' that I can see. What am I missing?
Last edited by BossEyed; 13th Dec 2011 at 16:58. Reason: Inability to spoil
Glojo wrote,
Yes I remember the footage. I commented on a forum when the footage aired. From the video I noticed that all weapons were stripped from the airframe - including the cannon.
The Apache aircraft I am talking about was filmed on a low loader....
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glojo
Are you trying to give Tolstoy a run for his money ?
You are certainly giving SAMXXV a run in the length of your posts, although maybe not in the craziness part
.
Are you trying to give Tolstoy a run for his money ?
You are certainly giving SAMXXV a run in the length of your posts, although maybe not in the craziness part
.
glojo
So far, yes.
There's been some work being done on the visible spectrum for some time, with the usual mixed results. When the USN can "cloak" a carrier ... I'd say the tech is mature. Not there yet, eh?
Manipulation of visual spectrum seems to be like fusion powered reactors:
"We'll have it sorted out in about fifteen years"
being the party line for about fifty years ...
I understand that nothing is completely invisible, it is just harder to detect.
There's been some work being done on the visible spectrum for some time, with the usual mixed results. When the USN can "cloak" a carrier ... I'd say the tech is mature. Not there yet, eh?
Manipulation of visual spectrum seems to be like fusion powered reactors:
"We'll have it sorted out in about fifteen years"
being the party line for about fifty years ...
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Iran to exhibit US and Israeli spy drones
Iran to exhibit US and Israeli spy drones | World news | guardian.co.uk
Country reportedly planning to put the machines on display and invite journalists and foreign ambassadors to view them
Iran says it will put on display a series of foreign spy drones that it claims to have obtained, including four Israeli and three US unmanned aircraft, according to a state-run newspaper.
Iran's English-language newspaper, the Tehran Times, quoted "an informed source" as saying that the exhibition will be held "in the near future", and that foreign ambassadors based in Tehran and local journalists would be invited.
"The latest domestically manufactured electronic warfare equipment will also be put on show at the exhibition," the newspaper said. "The foreign unmanned aircraft that Iran has are four Israeli and three US drones.....
Iran to exhibit US and Israeli spy drones | World news | guardian.co.uk
Country reportedly planning to put the machines on display and invite journalists and foreign ambassadors to view them
Iran says it will put on display a series of foreign spy drones that it claims to have obtained, including four Israeli and three US unmanned aircraft, according to a state-run newspaper.
Iran's English-language newspaper, the Tehran Times, quoted "an informed source" as saying that the exhibition will be held "in the near future", and that foreign ambassadors based in Tehran and local journalists would be invited.
"The latest domestically manufactured electronic warfare equipment will also be put on show at the exhibition," the newspaper said. "The foreign unmanned aircraft that Iran has are four Israeli and three US drones.....